


we've got it going on

by capeofstorm



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Age Difference, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Daddy Kink, Deepthroating, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Masturbation, Older Man/Younger Man, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Praise Kink, Sugar Daddy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:28:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26064265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capeofstorm/pseuds/capeofstorm
Summary: New possible match within 2 miles! 🔥🔥🔥Future!fic where Alex and Yassen meet again through an app. Oh, and Yassen is a sugar daddy.
Relationships: Yassen Gregorovich/Alex Rider
Comments: 88
Kudos: 198





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This hasn't been beta'd, so if you spot any glaring errors, please let me know!

Alex reached for the phone in his pocket after it buzzed, reading the notification distractedly.

_New possible match within 2 miles! 🔥🔥🔥_

Out of boredom he tapped the notification, put in his passcode and stared at his phone.

The resemblance was uncanny. Blonde hair, long lashes, soft-looking lips. Green eyes and no scar on his neck. And the biggest difference: the man in the picture was smiling towards him, confident and full of promise. Alex let himself imagine, just for a few seconds, what it would be like to kiss the man, nip at his stubbled jaw, scratch at his toned arms before he shook himself. This wasn’t Yassen Gregorovich, no way in hell, no matter how much he looked like the man. 

He scrolled through the man’s profile - Jeremy, 40, investment banker, ha! Still, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge, he thought. He swiped right, locked his phone and put it back in his pocket. Jeremy wouldn’t probably even swipe back.

“Alright there, mate?” Tom appeared with two pints, handing one to Alex and dropping into the seat opposite of him.

“Yeah, cheers by the way. How are things?” 

“Exam week is coming up,” Tom said and thumped his head on the table. “If you kill me now, it will be a mercy, seriously.”

“Should’ve studied more, bud.” Alex grinned at him.

“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one who’s going to be designing bridges that millions of people will use _every day_.” Tom’s voice rose with the last words.

“Isn’t that why they make the guy who designed the bridge walk it first after it’s built? So if it falls apart, the guy goes down with it?” Alex grinned at Tom’s glare. 

“Screw you. I should have stayed at home with Allie, she’s way nicer to me.”

Alex took a swig of his beer. “She’s your girlfriend, it kinda comes with the territory.”

Tom grinned at that, as he always did whenever someone mentioned his girlfriend. It was sweet and rather… vexing. Then again that might have been because Alex was single, yet again. His last relationship - if you could call it that, rather an extended hook-up that lasted three days and ended up with the girl getting back together with the ex that she was rebounding with Alex over. Alex didn’t begrudge her, the guy did have an amazing ass.

“You were smart not to do the postgrad. Seriously, if I could go back in time…”

“You’d still do it, let’s be honest.” Alex drank a few more pulls of his beer, letting his eyes scan the pub. 

“On the pull, are ya?”

Alex shrugged. “Why not?”

“How’s that online dating thing going for you?”

His phone vibrated again. 

_✉️ New message from Jeremy!_

Alex tapped on the notification.

_Le Trou Caché, Friday 7.30, ask for Mr Kelly._

No hello, no chat-up line, no compliment. Okay, he could work with that.

“Looks like I’ve got a date tomorrow,” he replied with a smug smile.

“Shouldn’t you tell me their name or something, in case you get murdered?”

Alex looked at Tom dubiously. “Please, better people have tried and failed.”

A few hours later, Alex put a tipsy Tom in a black cab and walked to his apartment. Jack had moved out when he was nineteen, to live with her boyfriend in Shoreditch. Too lonely in such a big house, Alex had sold it and moved into an apartment not far from Jack. 

The walk helped him sober up - not that he ever drank to excess. Too paranoid about what could happen, Alex knew his limits and monitored them strictly. It was tiresome but necessary; he didn’t want to end up defenceless.

He let himself into his apartment, taking off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket. He padded towards the kitchen, grabbed a can of cold Coke from the fridge and sat down at the kitchen island with his phone out. 

Googling Jeremy Kelly mostly gave him hits about a football player. He dug in deeper, going a few pages into the search when he located a LinkedIn page. He clicked on the link, scanning through it. It was possible this was the guy he would be seeing tomorrow; there was no picture but the work experience bit was filled with information. Alex scanned through it, already bored. Looked like this was an actual banker, as opposed to his uncle.

Having finished his Coke, Alex went back to his dating app, looking up Jeremy’s profile again. He looked at his picture, wondering what he would look like in person, whether he would be tall and toned, graceful; whether he would mind holding Alex down as they fucked; if he would leave bruises. 

Alex scrolled through Jeremy’s profile and blinked. He was pretty sure the man was a sugar daddy which… Well, Alex always did say he would try anything once, didn’t he?

With a sigh, Alex got up and went to bed. 

***  
Alex glanced at his reflection in a shopfront one last time. His hair looked good, soft and messily styled, hinting at what it would look like if Jeremy was to run his hands through it. Normally, Alex would have worn jeans and a tight shirt but Le Trou Caché had standards, seeing as it was one of those fancy members-only clubs for well off people. Besides, it didn’t hurt to put in some effort. Hence the tailored suit, a tight grey shirt, with the two topmost buttons open, leaving the collar gaping and showing off his collarbones.

He entered the building, nodding to the concierge.

“I’m here to see Mr Kelly.”

“Of course, please follow me.”

The building that housed Le Trou Caché was new, though the interior was designed to resemble old Georgian buildings. Alex was led past two big rooms with armchairs and sofas, comfortable and expensive looking and a bar with mahogany counters. The concierge showed him up the stairs, towards more private rooms. He gestured towards the third door on the left. 

“He’s already waiting for you.”

“Thank you.” Alex nodded and straightened his suit.

Alex entered the room, taking in possible exit points in a blink. There were two armchairs in the room, the one facing him empty. A small table with a decanter of whiskey and two crystal glasses. The room smelled of wood polish and expensive aftershave.

He could see the top of Jeremy’s head, one arm in a tight black shirt. He hadn’t moved since Alex came in.

“Hello, Alex. Please, sit down.” His voice was smooth and low, the kind of voice Alex wouldn’t mind hearing first thing in the morning after a night of debauchery. It sounded like a voice he’s heard before.

Alex crossed the room, sat down and faced Jeremy, the smile on his lips dying when he looked at the man in front of him. Blue eyes, a scar on his neck, the sense of tightly controlled power around him. Clad in all black, with one of his legs resting over the other knee, Yassen Gregorovich raised an eyebrow at him. Alex felt like all the air had left his lungs.

“You didn’t recognise me?” Yassen tilted his head to the side.

Alex shook his head, forced his tense body to relax in the comfortable armchair. How the hell was this possible? His initial plans for the evening went completely out of the window but somehow he couldn’t really regret that.

“I thought you looked similar but - “ He gestured towards Yassen’s face, “different eyes, no scar in the picture.”

Something in Yassen’s eyes shifted, a small indulgent smile quirking his lips.

“It’s this thing called Photoshop. All the rage these days.”

Alex let out a startled laugh. He knew he wasn’t dreaming - his dreams never stayed devoid of blood for so long. He let himself take in the sigh of Yassen, in a black button-up shirt, dark trousers, the way he was sitting in the armchair with ease and grace that Alex had forgotten. 

He watched as Yassen moved, tensing in anticipation, only for Yassen to reach for the decanter and pour out two generous measures of whiskey. He pushed one glass towards Alex and wrapped the other one in his long, manicured fingers. 

“You look like you need a drink, little Alex.” 

No wonder Alex thought his voice sounded familiar, it was familiar. He didn’t touch the glass until he saw Yassen take a sip and waited for a beat. His spying days might be behind him but having Yassen here, in front of him, made him feel hypervigilant. Why on earth did Yassen invite him here? Surely not because he was attracted to Alex? There was no way Yassen didn’t think Alex would recognise him. Why risk it? Why now? And how the hell did he survive?

Alex took the offered glass and drank half of its contents in one go. He didn’t mind facing terrorists and megalomaniacs but for some reason, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get through the evening without some liquid courage.

“How did you survive?”

“You’re a smart boy, Alex, I’m sure you can figure it out,” Yassen replied, swirling the whiskey in his glass, bringing it to his lips.

Fighting down a shiver, Alex kept his eyes on Yassen, the long column of his neck when he tipped it back slightly to savour his drink. So much pale skin, more than he had ever seen on the man before. He couldn’t help but stare at the long lashes, the stubble, a hint of freckles on Yassen’s lips. 

His mind provided several scenarios, all of them more or less likely. He didn’t know much about Yassen but he knew that the man really thought he was dying, all those years ago on Cray’s plane; he wouldn’t have told Alex about his father otherwise, _wouldn’t have told Alex he loved him_ , wouldn’t have been so vulnerable in front of Alex. So, Yassen truly thought he was dying - he didn’t stage his death. He probably took the opportunity when it presented itself, which was smart.

Which left him with two options: either MI6 turned him, or Scorpia got him out first. Seeing as Alex took Scorpia down a few years ago and hadn’t run into Yassen while at it, he discarded that thought. MI6 knew Yassen would be a useful asset; they certainly wouldn’t have any qualms about having Yassen work for them. 

“MI6 turned you?” He hesitated because while that was likely, it didn’t _feel_ right. He trusted his gut. “No, that’s not it. They did get to you first, though, after the plane.”

Yassen nodded, gesturing with his empty hand for Alex to go on.

“You had help once they stabilised you. Someone to get you out.” He took a sip of his whiskey. It tasted better when sipped, the hint of smoke caressing his tongue. He closed his eyes, enjoying the taste.

“Good. What happened then?” Yassen looked at him unwaveringly. 

Alex licked his lips. “You either killed them, paid them off or escaped.”

Yassen smiled. “Something like that, yes.”

Alex leaned back in his seat, shaking his head. This was… unexpected, to say the least. He considered having a one-night stand - or more - with Yassen’s look-alike but that was obviously out of the window now.

“Are you still… active?” He asked, hesitantly.

“No more than you,” Yassen replied. 

Alex smiled. “And how do you know whether I’m active or not?”

Yassen finished his drink and gestured at the decanter, in a clear question of another? Alex nodded, finished his drink and put the glass on the table to be refilled. As he reached for the bottle, Yassen shifted closer and Alex took in a lungful of his cologne. The man had good taste.

“Let’s just say I kept my eye on you.” Yassen poured him a drink and sat back with his own.

Alex felt a warmth spread from his stomach; the whiskey must be having more of an effect on him than he thought it would. It was good whiskey, after all.

“Why?” Curiosity has long been his worst trait, he knew that. But Yassen seemed open, chatty even, and Alex had so many questions.

Yassen just smiled at that. “I was pleased when I learned that you’ve stopped working for MI6. Better late than never.”

Alex snorted, looking away. He stared into his glass, swirling the alcohol around in it. Alright, so Yassen wasn’t that chatty, it seemed. 

“It was difficult to get away from them. Then again, I would have never been in that situation if not for you.” He looked at Yassen over the top of his glass, whiskey burning down his throat, no better way to stop himself from saying something he would regret.

Yassen uncrossed his legs, his feet planted firmly on the ground as he leaned back in his chair, a picture of relaxation to an outsider. Alex could see Yassen was prepared for a fight.

“If after all this time you think I was the one who pushed you into MI6’s arms, then you’re not as bright as I believed you to be.” Yassen’s voice was flat and emotionless, a change from the warm tone he had when Alex came into the room.

Alex shrugged. “It was a cheap shot but can you blame me? I know Ian was training me. It became apparent a few years ago. But you were the one who sent me to Scorpia.”

“You’ll pardon me if I feel bad for them, rather than you, given what happened.”

Alex looked over Yassen’s shoulder, taking in the landscape painting on the wall. He was the one who brought up Scorpia, true. It wasn’t something he wanted to talk about. There was enough of it in his dreams.

“Fair enough, I guess.”

They sat in silence, Alex never taking his eyes off the painting, Yassen never taking his eyes off Alex. Alex sipped his whiskey, trying to come up with a plan. What was he to do? He wasn’t going to turn Yassen over to MI6 - he wanted nothing to do with them. Avenging Ian was not something he wanted anymore, not after he fully realised that his life with his uncle had been very little but a lie. He had questions, he supposed he could ask them but did he really want to dig into old, unhealed wounds? He could always see what Yassen wanted, couldn’t he?

“What’s next?” He looked back at Yassen, who didn’t even blink at being caught staring at Alex.

“I’ve answered your questions. I presumed that’s why you wanted to meet.” Yassen replied, finishing his drink, putting the glass on the table. 

“I had no idea it was you.”

Yassen hummed, a pleased expression crossing his face for a second. “Well, in that case, what is next is entirely up to you.”

“What do you mean?” Alex turned his head to the side.

Yassen raised an eyebrow. “Exactly that. You’ve seen my profile, Alex. You didn’t know it was me when you came here. And yet you’re still in the room.”

Alex took in a deep breath. Surely Yassen didn’t mean - he couldn’t mean. Could he? Alex cast his mind back to the beginning of their meeting, analysing it quickly. Yassen’s body language had been open, if a little on the neutral side but he wasn’t hostile. He hadn’t threatened Alex; if anything, he praised him. Alex barely restrained himself from squirming in his seat.

“What do you get out of it?” He asked after clearing his throat.

Yassen shrugged.

“I like providing.”

“Providing?” Alex blinked.

“Yes.” Yassen held his eyes, a small smirk on his lips. “Everyone has needs. I like to fulfil them.”

“What kind of needs?”

“All of them. Money, time… Attention.”

Alex swallowed, his lips suddenly dry. His tongue came out to wet them and Yassen traced the motion.

“What is it that you need, Alex?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to celestialskiff for the beta. All remaining mistakes are my own <3

Alex wasn’t the kind of person who was rendered speechless often; quite the opposite. Yet Yassen’s question flabbergasted him. When was the last time someone asked what he needed, without any other motives behind that question other than fulfilling those needs? He shoved that thought away, this wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

Yassen smiled at him - actual smile, not a smirk or a quirk of his lips but an honest to god smile, crows feet crinkling the corners of his eyes. Alex felt warm all of a sudden. No more whiskey for him.

“Here.” Yassen reached into his pocket and handed Alex a phone.

“What - “

“Just in case MI6 are still sniffing around. Think about my question, Alex. Let me know what you decide.”

Alex looked at the phone in his hand - the newest Samsung Galaxy, silver, elegant and very expensive looking. “I can’t accept that.”

“If you decide against contacting me, you can always throw it out. No hard feelings.” Yassen stood up, Alex following automatically. Yassen gestured to the door, the dismissal clear.

Alex nodded, distracted by the question and the unexpected gift. He moved past Yassen, who accompanied him to the door.

“And Alex?”

He turned to look at Yassen, who was standing closer than he expected. He could smell Yassen’s expensive cologne, notes of smoke and spice. His eyes zeroed in on Yassen’s distractingly soft-looking lips. Fucking freckles.

Yassen leaned in, speaking softly in Alex’s ear, his breath tickling the side of Alex’s neck.

“Purchasing a phone for you will be nothing compared to the other things I’ll give you when you say yes, sweet boy.”

Alex couldn’t blame the breath that caught in his throat on whiskey anymore. He closed his eyes, swallowing at the low, husky tone of Yassen’s voice. Yassen took a step back, looking Alex up and down.

“Have a good evening, Alex.”

“You too,” Alex managed to reply through his dry mouth.

He left the room before he did something embarrassing like throwing himself at Yassen. He slid the phone - his new phone? - in his trouser pocket and exited Le Trou Caché, feet taking him towards the nearest Tube entrance.

His mind kept going back to the question Yassen asked, the feeling of his breath on Alex’s skin, the delicious smell of his cologne. His mind felt clouded but in a pleasant way, something that didn’t happen often. He took in a few deep, steadying breaths and put his meeting with Yassen in a box inside his mind and shoved it back, at least until he got back home. It wouldn’t do to be distracted.

*

Once home, Alex changed into something more comfortable. He hadn’t planned on spending the night at home, instead banking on staying at Jeremy’s - Yassen’s, he supposed. He used his old phone to order dinner, sitting on the sofa in front of his TV. 

He turned on the telly, settling on a nature documentary as he thought back to the beginning of this evening. The anticipation he felt walking into Le Trou Caché, the adrenaline thrumming in his veins when he caught sight of Jere - Yassen’s toned forearms. His shock at Yassen being the one in front of him. Denial, surprise, very quick acceptance. He surprised himself by how easily he accepted Yassen’s story. But it did make sense. It all made sense, based on what he knew about the man, about the world they both used to inhabit. 

What made less sense was Yassen’s behaviour later. He said specifically that he had thought Alex came for answers, that he thought Alex knew it was him. And then he asked Alex what he needed. 

The thing was, Alex didn’t know what he needed. Sure, he probably needed a haircut and to tidy his place a bit and make more of an effort with being nice to Jack’s boyfriend. But other than that? Ever since he finished uni and took a year off to figure out what he wanted to do, Alex had been floundering, unsure. He spent his time with his friends, when they weren’t studying or working, chatting to Jack, working on his gadgets and learning yet another coding language. The days went by and it was May already. Alex still didn’t know what he wanted to do.

His dinner - his favourite ramen from Wagamama - arrived just as Alex was getting lost in remembering Yassen’s presence, his scent and the way he commanded the room, grabbed Alex’s attention and never let it go.

No matter how he looked at it, Alex had to concede that Yassen was interested in him. Why else would he agree to see Alex? Why else give him a phone, make him a promise that made him shiver?

 _Purchasing a phone for you will be nothing compared to the other things I’ll give you_ when _you say yes, sweet boy._

When. Yassen said _when_ , not _if_. Yes, Yassen was definitely interested and he was confident that Alex was, too.

Was he interested?

Looking back, the tension wasn't something Alex could explain away easily. He had always thought Yassen to be a beautiful man. Yassen was one of the first men Alex started noticing back when he was a teenager, still trying to figure out who he was. His crush on Sabina confirmed that he was interested in girls; his fleeting crush on Yassen - who could blame him? - confirmed that he was interested in men, too. 

_Smart boy_ , Yassen called him. Alex felt warmth in his belly, one that had nothing to do with alcohol. Yes, he was certainly attracted to Yassen. But could he do anything about it?

Grabbing a can of Coke from the fridge, Alex gave it some thought. He threw Ian’s death in Yassen’s face, like the angry, scared teenager in him wanted to. But after all that Alex experienced, he knew that Ian would have died, no matter who had pulled the trigger. Yassen had so many chances to kill him but he didn’t. No, instead he kept an eye on him from a distance.

He should have felt creeped out, angry, violated, maybe. But all he felt at the thought of Yassen watching out for him was safe. He trusted Yassen. 

Alex stared at the remains of his dinner. He trusted Yassen. He found Yassen attractive. He wanted to - but could he? Could he really hook up with Yassen? Become his sugar baby?

He groaned and hid his face in his hands. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was Yassen or because he liked the idea of being taken care of but being Yassen’s sugar baby was a very, very tempting idea.

It was the memory of Yassen’s mouth, freckles around his lips, that made the decision for him. He grabbed his new phone, opened the contacts and there it was. What he presumed to be Yassen’s number, under the name Jeremy Kelly. With shaking fingers, he typed the text and sent it before he could talk himself out of it.

_I want to see you again_

The reply came sooner than he expected, the phone vibrating in his hands as he stared at the message he had sent.

_To get answers?_

Yassen was giving him a way out. That sealed the deal for him. 

_No_

He worried his lip between his teeth as he waited for the reply.

_Dinner, then. Sunday, 7.00 at The Greenhouse in Mayfair._

Alex whistled. Yassen was certainly going to wine and dine him in style.

*

As has been their habit for the past ten months, on Sunday morning Tom, Allie and Sabina descended on Alex’s place for brunch. Alex provided the space, Sabina the mimosas and Allie and Tom the food, which was surprising because when they were teenagers, Tom burned water for tea, repeatedly. But under his girlfriend’s tutelage, he turned out to be a pretty good cook.

They converged in Alex’s kitchen, around the wooden table. Alex sat back, hand on his stomach as he groaned happily. 

“God, I knew I should have chatted you up first, Allie.” Alex winked at her. “Then I could have such feasts every day.”

Allie snorted, pointing her fork at him. “You’re not my type, Alex.”

“Too pretty?” He asked innocently.

Allie grinned over Tom’s mock outrage. “Too dramatic.”

“She’s got you there,” Sabina added with a smirk.

“I’m not dramatic!”

Sabina gave him a look. Alex rolled his eyes.

“Okay, we were like, sixteen, don’t give me that.”

“Mmm, I’ve been called dramatic before - for a good reason - but even I don’t hold a candle to you,” Sabina pointed out.

“It’s true, mate. Your longest relationship imploded after what, three months?”

Alex narrowed his eyes at Tom. “Shut up, or I swear to god I will sabotage your next assignment.”

Allie topped up his mimosa and changed the subject deftly. “None of that. Tom said you had a date?”

“Oooh, how did it go? Who was it with?” Sabina leaned in closer.

Alex cleared his throat. He hadn’t told any of them about his meeting with Yassen, which was… unusual for him. He was usually pretty open about his dating life.

“It was uh, memorable.” He hesitated for a second, looking for the right word. He couldn’t tell them the truth.

“Are you seeing them again?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, he’s taking me out to dinner tonight.”

“Where to?”

Alex drained his mimosa. “The Greenhouse in Mayfair.”

Sabina whistled. “That place is pretty fancy. My dad took us there after he won an award a few years ago.”

“I sure hope he’s paying,” Tom chuckled.

Alex was spared answering that by the sound of the doorbell. He shrugged at the unasked question on his friends’ faces and went to open the door.

“Alex Rider? Delivery.” A woman pushed a box at him. “Sign here.” 

Alex signed where she pointed and shook the box lightly. It didn’t rattle, wasn’t too heavy. It wasn’t ticking, either, so not a bomb.

The delivery woman was gone before he could ask a question. He looked at the box, noticing “Saville Row Company” in an elegant script on top of it. Shit. He knew who sent the box.

“What’s that?” Sabina got up and grabbed the box from him, brought it to the kitchen table.

“Hey! That’s private!”

Tom was already opening the box. Alex leaned in and took in a harsh breath as Tom parted the black wrapping paper, revealing a cream button-up shirt lying on top of a navy jacket.

“Since when do you get suits from Saville Row?” Allie queried, slapping Tom’s fingers when he went to touch the suit. “Stop it, you have maple syrup on your hands.”

Alex reached out, took the shirt out of the box. It felt soft and luxurious and he could feel his cheeks heating up. 

“I don’t. It was uh, Jeremy.” He admitted, placing the shirt gently on his vacated seat. He reached for the suit, the navy linen warming up under his fingers.

“You have a sugar daddy?” Sabina asked, her voice full of laughter. “Oh my god, that’s hilarious.” 

“Have you put out yet?” Tom bumped his shoulder with a salacious grin.

Alex cleared his throat and looked away. 

“No.”

“What are you waiting for? A car?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He took out the suit jacket and shook it out. He didn’t know much about suits but he knew this one was elegant, expensive. _Nothing compared to the other things I’ll give you_ , Yassen’s voice reminded him.

“Well, you should thank him.” Allie pointed out and started putting away empty plates. 

“With a blowjob,” Sabina and Tom chorused as one.

“Piss off, the both of you.” Alex glared at them.

“When’s your date?”

“Tonight.” He tried the jacket on. Of course, it fit him like a dream, as if it was bespoke. He put his hands in the pockets, his fingers brushing against a piece of paper. He left it there, deciding it was best to read it when he was on his own. With a slight feeling of regret, he took off the jacket and placed it back in the box, together with the shirt. “I’ll uh, hang it up.”

Sabina winked at him. “Enjoy your date, eh? And remember, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Alex waved at her over his shoulder, making his way to the bedroom. Instead of hanging the suit, he took it out of the box and laid it out on his bed. He could hear Tom, Allie and Sabina talking in the kitchen. He was safe enough for a few minutes.

He took the note out of the jacket pocket and unfolded it.

_It’s the best I could do under the time constraints. See you tonight, little Alex._

Alex laughed under his breath. If a tailored suit - it had to be tailored, and how the hell did Yassen know his measurements? - was shabby, Alex wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what Yassen thought elegant.

He folded the note and put it in his nightstand.

*

Alex arrived at the Greenhouse a few minutes before seven. He wasn’t sure where Yassen would meet him - at the entrance? Inside? 

He was spared making a decision when he spotted Yassen getting out of a black Bentley. Of course.

Yassen looked sleek and elegant in his black suit, a white shirt this time. Alex caught a glimpse of a silver watch on his wrist; a cream pocket square, exactly the same shade as Alex’s shirt. He swallowed, his mouth dry.

“Alex,” Yassen greeted him, his voice low and warm, as he stopped in front of Alex, just inside his personal bubble. He looked Alex up and down, nodding slightly. “You look good. I hope it fits well.”

Yassen’s eyes met his and Alex made a snap second decision. Telegraphing his movement, he leaned in and pressed his lips against Yassen’s cheek. Yassen smelled divine, spice and musk, and it made Alex’s head spin. He pulled away, noticing the darkening of Yassen’s eyes. “Thank you for the suit. You didn’t have to.”

Yassen smiled, a slight twitch of his lips. His hand came to rest on Alex’s back, as he steered them towards the entrance. 

“I know. You’ll find that I only do things I want to do.”

Alex leaned into his touch and let himself be led. They were seated by a wall, and even though the restaurant was packed, two tables on either side of them were empty. The waiter pointed towards their table, two chairs side by side rather than opposite each other. 

“I wanted to ensure our privacy.” Yassen tilted his head towards the tables, his voice so soft Alex had to lean in to catch his words. “Thought it might make you feel more at ease.”

Alex felt that treacherous warmth settle back in his belly.

“That’s very kind of you - What do I call you?” 

Yassen looked like he was trying to contain a smile and Alex knew he was being allowed to see that expression. He knew that Yassen could have let the expressionless mask slip on his face without a thought but was choosing not to. It was heady knowledge.

“When we’re in public, call me Jeremy. When we’re in private...” he trailed off.

“When we’re in private?” Alex prompted him.

“We shall see, won’t we?” 

The waiter arrived with menus and a wine list. Alex left the wine choice to Yassen and decided on his order. He was thankful for the interruption, for the chance to gather his thoughts. 

He didn’t need to wonder anymore whether he was attracted to Yassen. He was certain of it.

“Did you think about my question, Alex?”

Alex bit his lower lip. He ran his hands over the crisp white table linen, smoothing it down. 

“I have thought about it.” He thought about little else, his mind veering back to the question whenever it pleased. He shrugged, feeling the material of the shirt and suit Yassen bought him shift against his skin. “I don’t know what I need.”

Yassen nodded, his eyes never leaving Alex. 

“Would you like me to help you figure it out?”

Alex nodded.

“Use your words, sweetheart.”

“Sweetheart, really?” Alex grimaced, pushing away the pleased shiver. No need to be weird about this.

“You didn’t answer my question.” 

Alex took in a breath and looked Yassen straight in the eye. “Yes, I’d like you to help me.”

“Good boy.”

There was no way he could have stopped the blush that he felt blossoming on his cheeks at that. Yassen leaned in, a dangerous glint in his eye. Alex wasn’t sure whether he wanted to run away or step in closer.

“See? We’re figuring it out already.” Yassen’s breath was warm on the side of his neck when Yassen leaned in to say it quietly next to his ear. 

Alex could feel the warmth radiating from his body and wondered what it would be like to be held against him, soaking up all of his heat. 

The waiter came back with their drinks and starters, which smelled divine. Alex knew the food would be good but the first bite of his starter had him closing his eyes at the taste, letting out a sigh. He opened his eyes and saw Yassen watching him, his pupils a wider black against the ice-chip blue. 

“That good, hm?” Was it him, or was Yassen’s voice a little hoarse?

Alex gathered another bit of his starter on his fork and after a split second of hesitation he held it out towards Yassen, who steadied his hand by wrapping his fingers around Alex’s wrist, just where the cuff of his shirt was riding down his arm. Yassen leaned in, his lips closing around the fork, his eyes fluttering shut, long eyelashes throwing shadows on his cheeks. 

Breathing was a little more difficult than Alex remembered, especially when Yassen’s thumb swept across his pulse point. Yassen pulled back, his hand stayed wrapped around Alex’s wrist for a beat longer, his fingers caressing Alex’s skin as he removed his hand.

“What do you think?” Alex managed to say, his voice barely on the edge of steady.

“I think they’re right to charge what they do for food.”

Alex had, of course, looked up the reviews and pricing for the restaurant and knew exactly what Yassen meant. This dinner would set him back at least three hundred pounds. By Alex’s estimation, Yassen had already spent over a grand on him and he would be lying if that thought didn’t make him dizzy. 

“I would have been happy with a take-away.”

Yassen smiled over his glass of wine. “I’m looking forward to introducing you to finer things in life, Alex.”

“How can you be sure I haven’t been introduced to them before?”

“Mmm, gut instinct, really.” Yassen offered Alex a bit of his food. 

Swallowing, Alex leaned in, his lips closing around the fork, the sweetness of mango coulis exploding in his mouth. Fuck, the food was good.

Yassen watched as Alex swallowed and licked his lips, chasing the last bit of flavour from his lips. The way Yassen was looking at him made him think that maybe, he wasn’t the only one who was so affected. 

“What do you do these days, now that you’re no longer employed by our mutual friends?” Yassen asked out of the blue.

“Why do you want to know? I thought you kept an eye on me?”

Yassen tilted his head in acknowledgement. “I have. And as far as I recall, asking questions is the point of a date, don’t you think?”

Alex blinked a few times, reaching for his glass of wine to buy himself some time. A date. Shit, of course this was a date. With Yassen. He was on a date with Yassen, holy shit. The wine was delicious because of course it was, and he was glad he hadn’t choked at his realisation.

“Are you going to ask me for my favourite colour next?” He said before he had the chance to shut himself up.

“I think I’ll save that one for the second date, keep the suspense going,” Yassen deadpanned.

Alex chuckled. “You’re awfully certain there will be a second date.”

“Won’t there?” Yassen reached out, his fingers brushing Alex’s arm where it rested on the table. “Is your day job so secret you’d have to kill me if you told me?”

“I don’t have a day job.” Alex rolled his eyes. “Taking some time off to decide what I want to do.”

“How’s that going?”

“Oh, absolutely splendidly. I came up with at least twenty things I don’t want to do with my computer science degree.” Alex finished his starter and took another sip of his wine.

“What’s on the top of the list?”

Alex gave him a look and decided to go along with Yassen’s date questions. “Working for our mutual friends. What do you do for your day job?”

“I’m an investment banker,” Yassen replied with a bland smile.

“Really.”

Yassen finished his starter and nodded. “Well, just on Mondays. The rest of the week I’m retired.”

“And how’s that going for you?” He threw Yassen’s question back at him.

“Some days are better than others.” 

“Is today a better day?” Alex tilted his head to the side, his eyes half-closed.

Yassen looked at him over the rim of his wine glass. “It’s shaping up to be, yes.”

Silence stretched between them, filling with the kind of tension Alex usually associated with a long night of rough, sweaty sex. Alex wondered what it would take to shake Yassen’s infallible control. The sight of Alex on his knees? Begging? Sucking Yassen’s cock deep into his throat, letting him fuck his mouth?

“Are you alright, Alex? You look flushed.” Yassen gave him a knowing look. “And you were a million miles away.”

Alex cleared his throat. “It’s a bit hot in here.” He wished he could take that excuse back the moment it left his lips. How obvious could he be?

“Is it? I haven’t noticed,” Yassen replied, a small smile on his lips.

Their main course arrived and Yassen steered the conversation back to safer topics, local politics, sports, good restaurants in the area. He refused to believe in Alex’s claim that the best dumplings were made by a local Chinese restaurant, pointing out that Russian _perogi_ were obviously superior. Alex kept expecting to say something stupid and make Yassen regret the whole evening, but it didn't happen.

Instead, when the desserts arrived, Alex realised that the evening flew by and he had _fun_. Yassen’s dry sense of humour made him smile more than he expected. He thought Yassen would be more… handsy but aside from a few touches to Alex’s wrist, Yassen had been a gentleman.

That was his excuse for leaning into Yassen’s hand, warm fingers splayed between his shoulder blades, when they left the restaurant. He could feel Yassen’s thumb moving to and fro through his suit jacket; he yearned to feel it against his bare skin.

He let Yassen lead him towards a car and frowned. This was a silver Mercedes, not the Bentley Yassen had arrived in. 

“Jeremy?”

“The driver will take you home.”

Alex tensed, pulling away. So he had done something to change Yassen’s mind. He squared his shoulders and turned slightly to face Yassen, who covered his cheek with his hand, his thumb skimming the corner of Alex’s lips.

“Some things are worth waiting for, don’t you think?” Yassen never looked away from Alex’s lips, his thumb pressing lightly. “Can I take you out for lunch on Wednesday?”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Alex replied, turning his head slightly into Yassen’s hand, brushing his lips against Yassen’s thumb. He heard Yassen’s sharp inhale and smiled.

“I’ll call you.”

“I guess you were right about that second date.”

“You’ll learn that I’m right about many great things, darling boy.”

Alex smirked. “We’ll see about that.”

He forced himself to step away from Yassen and got into the car. 

*

Alex was awoken from his mid-afternoon nap by a shrill ringing. He flailed on the sofa, grabbed his phone and frowned at the black screen. The ringing continued.

He reached for the phone Yassen gave him and smiled.

“Hello?”

“Did I wake you?” Yassen’s voice was soft on the phone, and Alex could imagine him in a corner office with floor to ceiling windows, glass desk and modern furniture. 

Alex shook his head. “Yeah, it’s fine, I shouldn’t be napping at -” he glanced at his other phone, “three o’clock on Monday afternoon.”

“Did you stay up all night tinkering with computers?”

“Maybe,” he hedged. He had gone to bed at four am, after a caffeine-fuelled coding marathon, the only thing that stopped him from obsessing over his date with Yassen the night before. He woke up at seven and went for a run, hoping the tiredness would shake him out of it. It didn’t.

Yassen’s chuckle sent a shiver down his spine. Fuck, he needed to get a grip.

“Are you still interested in lunch?”

Lunch wasn’t exactly what he was interested in, no.

“Sure. Wednesday, right?”

“I’ll text you the address. I’ll meet you there at one o’clock.”

Alex leaned back on his sofa and grinned at the ceiling. “Are you going to teach me more about the finer things in life?”

“Yes, though it might take a while.”

“I have time.”

“Good. See you Wednesday, _Сахарок_.”

Yassen hung up before Alex could ask him to translate. He was pretty sure it was yet another pet name, if Yassen’s tone of voice was anything to go on. He didn’t think he’d enjoy them as much as he did. He thought back to all the endearments Yassen had called him so far, his breath speeding up. He trailed his hand down his chest, into his sweatpants and underwear.

He remembered the way Yassen smelled, spice and musk, the warmth of his body as he sat next to Alex, the warm brand of his fingers on Alex’s wrist, his blown pupils when Alex kissed his cheek, the slight stubble under his lips. The tone of his voice when he called Alex a _smart boy_. His cock filled in his hand, warm and soft and Alex imagined Yassen’s hands on him, holding him down, Yassen fucking him in long, slow strokes, his hips moving sinuously as he told Alex how much he enjoyed fucking him, what a sweet, good boy Alex was…

Alex sped up his strokes, bit his lip hard, his wrist twisting on the upstroke as he fucked into his fist, imagining Yassen watching him right now, murmuring directions and praise, his fingers wrapped tight around Alex’s ankle as he took in the show Alex was putting on for him. 

He came after an embarrassingly short time and wiped his hand on the blanket, sleep claiming him once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Сахарок - sugar, a term of endearment in Russian


	3. Chapter 3

Alex arrived at the agreed spot, noting the name of the place in both English and Cyrillic with interest.

“Hello, handsome,” Yassen greeted him from the door. Gone was his usual suit and sharp shirt; instead he was wearing a soft looking button-up shirt and blue jeans that hugged his thighs just so. 

“Somehow I didn’t peg you as someone who’s into pet names,” Alex responded in place of greeting.

“I’m an affectionate kind of guy,” Yassen shrugged.

“You are or Jeremy is?” 

The look Yassen gave him filled his stomach with a thousand butterflies striving to get out. It’s approval, surprise and amusement, all rolled into a heated look. Alex stepped into the restaurant, his shoulder purposefully brushing Yassen’s chest.

“You are a smart boy,” Yassen said quietly, his hand moving to rest against Alex’s lower back. 

It took all Alex had not to press into that hand more firmly.

Yassen led him towards the back, where the booths were located. He let Alex slide into the booth and sat down next to him, rather than opposite; their thighs pressed closely together, so close that Alex could feel Yassen’s warmth through his jeans and Alex’s own slacks. 

“Jeremy is more… open about his affection than I would be,” Yassen finally admitted. He leaned back in the booth, his arm resting on the back of their seat, his fingers so deliciously close to Alex’s shoulder. 

Alex turned slightly to face him, his shoulder fitting in the curve of Yassen’s arm. It was the most direct touch they’ve ever shared; Alex was overly aware of just how close they sat together, the spice and musk scent of Yassen, his warmth, of how easy it would be to lean into him and let him do just what he wanted to.

“And which one of you is the sugar daddy?” 

Yassen trailed his fingers over the slope of Alex’s shoulder, down his arm, his fingers finding their way under the short sleeve of Alex’s polo shirt. 

“It’s a characteristic we both share.”

Alex mulled that over in his head, trying very hard not to be distracted by Yassen’s touch. The Yassen in front of him was so different from the man he knew as a teen. Given, that could be because he only ever met Yassen while he was working, trying to keep his operations going and his employers happy. Wasn’t everyone different at work and off duty? But it just didn’t quite explain it for Alex. Then again, he hadn’t really known Yassen, had he? All he knew about him was what he learned on his missions, his assumptions, everything filtered through the lens of grief and anger at the situation he was placed in.

“Welcome to Baltic, can I take your drink order?” The waitress arrived at their table unobtrusively, a pad and pen in her hand. 

“Two glasses of red _borsch_ , and two plates of _perogi_ thank you.” Yassen’s voice held no trace of the Russian accent that he let slip around Alex before. His fingers stayed on Alex’s skin, tracing patterns in nearly too-soft a manner, making Alex itch to move.

Alex raised an eyebrow at Yassen. “Bold of you to order for me.”

“Borsch goes well with perogi, I did promise to educate you.”

“Why did you?”

Yassen trailed the edge of his thumb nail down Alex’s arm.

“Because I want to.”

“Not good enough. I need to know why.”

Yassen leaned in, his lips just a hair's breadth away from Alex’s ear. “Since you _need_ to know, darling, it’s because I can’t keep my mind off you.”

Alex felt his breathing picking up, resisting the urge to lean into Yassen’s warmth, closing his eyes briefly at the hoarse way Yassen said need, the pet name, the fact that he kept thinking about Alex… He turned his head, his nose nudging Yassen’s.

“Kiss me.”

“So demanding,” Yassen replied against his lips, not moving closer. 

Alex groaned, momentarily forgetting that they were in public. 

“I need you to kiss me, Yas-”

Yassen’s lips were soft and warm against Alex’s, gentler than he expected. He barely had the time to respond, to press closer before Yassen pulled away. 

“We’re in public, Alex. You shouldn’t call me that.”

Alex nodded, “Jeremy really doesn’t suit you.”

“That’s who you’re meeting in public.”

“Too bad, I want to kiss you, not Jeremy.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think them through. It was true, though. He wanted Yassen, not whoever Yassen was pretending to be, whoever he made himself into in his retirement. He moved to pull away but Yassen’s fingers around his arm tightened, bringing him closer.

“We’re going to continue this conversation after lunch.” Yassen pressed his lips to Alex’s, a quick peck more than anything else. It shouldn’t have made Alex feel like his knees were turning to jelly but it did.

Alex had to hand it to Yassen, he was right about the dumplings and the borsch. Yassen seemed amused that Alex scarfed his lunch down, and took his time with his own meal, placing a steadying hand on Alex’s knee when he started bouncing it.

“Patience, Alex.” Yassen’s hand moved higher up on his thigh, squeezing.

“I’m not very patient, _Jeremy_ ,” Alex replied with a glare. 

“Loving the enthusiasm.”

Alex took in a few deep, steadying breaths. He was being ridiculous, he knew. They barely knew each other, he didn’t know if Yassen was playing him, but he knew one thing for certain - he wanted Yassen and he wanted him _now._ He remembered the way Yassen reacted when Alex leaned in to kiss his cheek the last time they met and decided he was done being the only one who was impatient.

He placed his hand on Yassen’s thigh, his fingers pressing against the inside seam of Yassen’s jeans, moving up, up - 

Yassen’s thighs clamped around his hand, keeping him in place. Yassen looked at him steadily and finished drinking his borsch. 

“Don’t start what you can’t finish, _Сахарок_.”

Alex flexed his fingers against Yassen’s tensed muscles, digging in. He filed the Russian word away in his mind for later.

“Who says I can’t finish?”

“I do.” Yassen took his wrist, his fingers tight around it, sending a bolt straight to Alex’s cock. “I will pay the bill and then we’re going to leave the restaurant and talk, understand?”

“Talking is overrated,” Alex retorted.

Yassen shifted forward to take his wallet out of his back pocket, his crotch brushing briefly against Alex’s hand. He dug his fingers in more firmly, Yassen’s thigh flexing under his touch. 

Yassen put a crisp fifty pound note on the table, grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled him out of the restaurant. Even though it was a Wednesday afternoon on a busy London street, Yassen managed to find an empty alley, where he pushed Alex against the wall and kept him in place with his body.

“Do you know what you need, little Alex?” Yassen cradled Alex’s head in his hand, his fingers tangling in Alex’s hair.

“What’s that?” 

Yassen gripped his hair, twisting his hand as he pushed his body against Alex’s until they were flush chest to knee.

“You need someone with a firm hand to keep you in check.”

“Are you up to the task, Yassen?”

The kiss he received was hard, teeth and tongue, Yassen tugging on his hair to position him exactly as he wanted, taking advantage of the way Alex’s mouth fell open at the delicious sting in his scalp. Alex scraped his teeth over Yassen’s tongue, biting at the tip of it, sucking it deeper into his mouth. He yanked the back of Yassen’s shirt from his jeans, fingers scrabbling at hot, soft skin on Yassen’s back. Alex pressed himself closer, closer, wanting to climb inside Yassen’s skin and make himself at home. Yassen had always smelled good but this close Alex was dizzy with it, with the feeling of hot skin under his hands, Yassen sucking his lower lip into his mouth, biting just hard enough to make Alex whine.

“The mouth on you,” Yassen said against his jaw, pressing biting kisses against it, sucking on the column of his throat. “I ought to keep it occupied all the time so you don’t get in trouble.”

Alex ground his hips against Yassen’s, moving his head forward to feel another tug on his hair, as he imagined just how Yassen would keep his mouth occupied.

“I’d like to see you try,” Alex panted, scratching red welts into the skin on Yassen’s back.

Yassen jerked his head back by his hair, his other hand moving to pin Alex’s hips to the wall. He leaned in, the blue of his eyes barely visible around the blackness of his irises. 

“You’ll enjoy it, won’t you? Me telling you what to do, praising you for it, rewarding you every time you do things as I like them? That’s something you want, isn’t it, little Alex?” 

Alex groaned, his eyes fluttering shut just for a second. He opened his eyes and mustered up a glare for Yassen.

“I don’t know, at the pace you’re going I might die of old age.”

Yassen laughed, deep and quiet, the sound travelling through his body so that Alex could feel it. He felt his cock stirring, hardening against Yassen’s hip. He tried to rock against him but Yassen’s hand on his hip pinned him to the wall too well. He hardened further.

“I might have to teach you patience,” Yassen murmured, the hand he had on Alex’s hip moving to cover Alex’s cock, squeezing it through Alex’s slacks. “You need to learn how to appreciate what you’re given, _Сахарок_.”

Alex’s head thumped on the wall, his eyes closed, his mouth falling open as Yassen moved his hand on him.

“Wha - what’s that word mean,” he panted out.

“Sugar.” Yassen kissed him again, his hand a steady pressure on Alex’s cock, coaxing him into fullness. “You’re a sweet boy, Alex. You’ll see that sometimes waiting makes things just that much sweeter.”

Just like that, Yassen stepped away from him, two steps back, surveying the state he left Alex in. If he looked anything like what he felt, Alex thought, he must look absolutely debauched.

“I’ll call you later, yes?” 

“You’re a dick,” Alex spat out.

“Remember, _Сахарок_ , it will be that much better when I finally get my hands on you.” Yassen had the gall to wink at him before he stepped out of the alley and into the busy London street.

Alex groaned out loud, hitting his head on the wall behind him a few times. Yassen was an absolute bastard but by god… He couldn’t remember the last time he was so turned on or had so much fun.

*

Alex stared at his phone - the one from Yassen - and battled with himself. Sure, Yassen left him high and dry, well not dry per se but still. Should he...? Thinking things through never really worked for him, so Alex leaned back in his bed, aimed the phone and took a picture of his chest and neck, angling so that the hickey Yassen gave him was prominent. He snapped the photo and was about to text it to Yassen when his phone rang.

He startled, fumbling as his phone fell to his chest with a smack. He answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Alex. How are you?"

Alex settled in his bed, his other hand fisting in his duvet. He cleared his throat.

"Extremely unsatisfied."

Yassen chuckled on the other end. "Would you be interested in coming over to my place tomorrow night, then?"

Alex fistpumped, then felt like a complete idiot.

"I wouldn't say no."

"Good. But before you do..."

"Yes?"

"There are some rules."

Alex blinked, running his hand through his hair. "Rules?"

"Mm, yes."

"What kind of rules?"

"As I said before if you need something, you ask for it. Whatever it may be."

That sounded easy enough, too easy, really.

"So if I'm hungry and need a sandwich..."

Yassen snorted. "I'll have groceries delivered to you but pardon me for not being there to actually prepare your lunch, Alex."

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Yes. Whether you need groceries or a new shirt, or someone to talk to. If we're going ahead with this, I expect you to be honest with me."

"It goes both ways. I don't like lies." Alex mentally filed away the first part of that for later. Someone to talk to? Surely Yassen didn’t expect him to call any time he felt anxious or bored or lonely?

"Of course." Alex could imagine Yassen nodding on the other end. "And the second rule: if you get triggered, you have to safe word."

"Jesus, safe word? What are we going to be doing, exactly?"

"All kinds of things. After all, we're going to figure out what you need. Though I do have an inkling."

"Oh yeah?" His breath hitched. 

"Yes. Tell me your safe word."

Alex wracked his brain. Ian's name was the first thing that popped into his mind and he cringed.

"I uh, I never had one before."

"Good, thank you for telling me. Think about it and let me know what it is tomorrow."

Alex sighed into the phone.

"Alright, I will. Anything else?"

"Nothing that comes to mind at the moment."

"Then you should tell me about that inkling you have about what I want."

"Ah, what you want and what you need are two different things, Alex. I'm happy to give you what you want but giving you what you need is more important."

Alex felt his breath speed up.

"Yassen."

A chuckle came from the other end, low and soft. Alex moved his hand to his cock, running his fingers along the outline of it.

"So close to begging already, what a good boy."

Alex whined, his fingers wrapping around his cock.

"I will hold you down, Alex, let you struggle all you want, until you tire out. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Knowing you can't escape but that you're safe? That I will do whatever I think is right, even if you feel like it's too much, like you don't deserve it?"

Alex moaned.

"You make such sweet noises, darling boy. I'm looking forward to hearing more of them. You looked so good today in that alley."

Alex stroked faster, his hips moving against the bed.

"You left a hickey," he managed to croak out. "On my neck, under my jaw."

Alex could hear Yassen's sharp intake of breath, the way he let it out slowly.

"Do you like being marked?" Yassen murmured the question, quiet and intimate in Alex’s ear.

"Not usually," he replied, his breath picking up. "I liked it though."

"I want to leave marks all over your skin. Does that scare you, little Alex?"

Alex's hips bucked up, a moan escaping him.

"N-no."

"Does it excite you?"

"Yes," he hissed, fucking up into his fist, his grip tight.

"Are you close?"

"Yes," his voice broke on the word. "Close."

"Stop."

Alex whined, tearing his hand from his cock, unable to stop his hips from bucking up into nothing.

"Good boy."

"Fuck, Yassen," Alex groaned, fisting his hand in his duvet, pleasure sharp and honey-sweet in his belly.

"Did you jerk off when you came home?"

"Yes."

"Tell me about it.”

Alex closed his eyes. "I got on the bed, took off my clothes, ran my fingers everywhere you touched me."

Yassen's breath picked up and Alex could hear the sound of a belt buckle opening on the other end.

"Are you...?"

"Wouldn't want you to have all the fun, _Сахарок_."

"Oh god."

"What then, Alex?"

"I pressed on my hips, imagining you were holding me down." Alex squirmed on the bed, remembering just how quickly he came, how aroused he was on the way home, feeling awkward as fuck in his Uber on the way home. "I took a taxi home, couldn't go on the Tube."

"And why's that?"

"Because I was still hard."

Yassen's moan was music to his ears, low and gravelly.

"Please, Yassen, can I - "

"Patience, little one. Tell me more."

"I could still smell you on my shirt, I had it wrapped around me as I fucked my fist, god, Yassen, you smell so good."

The sound of skin on skin on the other end was barely audible, Alex had to strain to hear it and imagined Yassen, sitting in an armchair in his shirt, his jeans open just enough to free his cock, his hand stroking it. He wondered if Yassen liked it tight and fast, or if he prefered a slow tease. He couldn't wait to find out.

"Touch yourself."

Alex had never obeyed an order so fast in his life. He wrapped his fingers around his cock, his hips pumping, his breath stuttering.

"It took all my discipline not to fall to my knees in that alley and suck you."

Alex whited out at the words, spilling into his fist, a punched out moan coming from his mouth at the image of _Yassen Gregorovich_ on his knees in front of him, sucking him in deep.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." He chanted as he came, falling limply on the bed.

He could still head Yassen's harsh breaths.

"I imagined you fucking my face, holding me down so I gasp for breath around your cock," he confessed, his body loose and pliant, his breath slowing down.

"Alex," Yassen moaned.

"I want you to come on my face next time I see you."

He could hear Yassen's strangled moan, the silence following it stretching between them. Yassen chuckled, suddenly.

"That was unexpected. Here I thought talking to you about rules over the phone would be less distracting.”

Alex grinned, smug.

"Distracting, am I?"

"Brat," Yassen said fondly. "I'll text you my address."

"What time should I come over?"

"Depends, do you want dinner first or later?"

"Am I the dessert?" He grinned.

"You are."

"I'm a big believer in dessert before dinner."

"Six, then."

"Alright." Alex sat up, looked at the mess he made. He needed to shower and possibly change his sheets.

"Sleep well, Alex."

"Mmm, no problem there."

Yassen laughed, warm and intimate and for a second Alex felt cold and lonely, wishing he was in bed next to Yassen, able to run his fingers over Yassen’s skin, press close as they fell asleep.

“See you tomorrow.”

“You too, good night.” Alex hung up, his phone going back to the text message he was going to send Yassen before.

With a smile, Alex typed a short message and sent it.

_Plenty more space for your marks._

He put his phone on his nightstand and stripped his bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this pure filth. 
> 
> Updates will be more sporadic, as I'm working full time and am back in college part-time because apparently I'm a glutton for punishment.

Alex bent over, his elbows resting on his knees as he panted, sweat dripping from his face and down his neck. His lungs felt like they were going to burst and his mouth tasted of copper. He glanced at his watch; he beat his best time for 10k, just as he had hoped he would.

He shook out his legs and arms and started walking back towards his place. He took out his earphones and slipped them into his shorts pocket. His watch was sticking uncomfortably to his hand. He undid it and cursed when another runner barrelled past him, jostling him into dropping his watch down the drain.

“Motherfucker!”

Alex dropped to his knees and looked through the grate, trying to locate his watch to no avail. He gave up after a few minutes, the high from his run completely spoiled. 

The minute he stepped inside his apartment his mobile phone - the old one - went off. Alex stalked up to the kitchen table where he left it and checked the display.

“Jack, hi,” he greeted.

“I’m getting married!” Jack exclaimed loudly enough for Alex to move the phone away from his ear. It took him a second to process.

“Congrats, Jack, that’s great!” Now he really would have to make more of an effort with Jack’s boyfriend - fiancé. 

“Thank you, you’re the first one I told, Henry just popped the question earlier this morning.”

Alex grabbed a Coke out of the fridge and held it up to his forehead, closing his eyes at the soothing coolness. 

“Because your mum would have your hide if you called her in the middle of the night to share the news, huh?”

Jack laughed at the other end. “That, too. We’re planning a small ceremony in six months - will you be my witness?”

“Of course I will, Jack, you don’t have to ask,” Alex laughed. “We should go out, celebrate your engagement.”

“Are you free tonight?”

“Uh, actually,” Alex backpedals, “I have a date.”

“Well, bring them along!”

Alex snorted. “Yeah, no, too early to bring him to meet the family and celebrate an engagement, might send the wrong message there.”

“Are you going to bring him to the wedding?”

Alex ran his hand through his hair. “Jesus, Jack, it’s six months away, I don’t know if we’re going to work out.”

“I’ll put you down as plus one on the seating plan,” Jack teased. “Will you come over this weekend, then?”

“Sure thing!”

***

Alex stood in front of the huge iron gate and rang the intercom. Of course Yassen would insist on the best of security he could get away with under his alias. The gate opened slowly and Alex slipped in before it opened fully. He clutched his overnight bag - he definitely did not have a crisis over whether or not he should pack one - tighter and walked towards the door.

The door opened the moment he stepped on the welcome mat and Yassen was there to welcome him, a soft-looking grey T-shirt, jeans and bare feet. Alex swallowed, hit with a sudden wave of _want._

Instead of saying anything, Yassen grabbed his T-shirt and yanked him closer, pressing a deep, claiming kiss to his lips. Alex moaned, his eyes slamming shut, his bag landing on the floor as he wove his arms around Yassen’s neck and kissed back. 

Alex grinned when Yassen pulled away. “Missed me?”

“Mm, quite possibly,” Yassen replied.

Alex blinked up at him, surprised by the emotions swirling through him. It was way too fast, what the hell?

“What happened to your watch?”

Yassen ran his thumb over Alex’s wrist where his watch usually rested.

“Oh, I dropped it down a drain earlier today, some arsehole bumped into me.”

Yassen sighed and took off his own silver watch, which Alex had admired once or twice before. Yassen put it on his wrist, still warm from where it was touching Yassen’s skin.

"A placeholder until we find you something suitable."

Alex swallowed. “You really don’t have to.”

Yassen raised an eyebrow as he led Alex further into the house.

“And what kind of sugar daddy would I be if I let you walk around without a watch?”

Alex would deny the shiver that went through him for the rest of his life. He didn’t reply, looking around the place instead. It was furnished tastefully, elegant and surprisingly inviting. Alex eyed the plush sofa in the sitting room and imagined sinking into it, his head in Yassen’s lap as they watched a movie.

“Did you think of a word for me, Alex?”

Yassen brought him to the kitchen, where he was putting finishing touches on their dinner. Alex watched his hands and arms as Yassen stirred things, muscles twisting under soft skin that Alex wanted to mark with his teeth.

“I uh, couldn’t think of anything. No won’t work as a safe word?”

Yassen turned to look at him, a small smile pulling the side of his lips up.

“I have a feeling that you’re the kind of person who would protest at first but would really enjoy it if I pushed you past your comfort zone.” Yassen ground some pepper over whatever he was making. “But if you’d prefer to just use no, as instinctive as it can be sometimes, I’m alright with that.”

“What’s your safe word?” Alex came to stand at the counter, a step away from Yassen.

“Bishop. Not one that would come up in conversation casually.”

“In conversation? I thought we were talking about sex?”

Yassen wiped his hands on a dishtowel and crowded Alex against the counter.

“Sometimes I will push you past your comfort zone in conversations too, little Alex. I might bring up things that give you flashbacks, or things you really don’t want to talk about at the time.” Yassen combed his hand through Alex’s hair, his fingers scratching the scalp gently. “I might want to talk about your time in Scorpia or the reason you quit MI6.”

“Tassels,” Alex blurted out.

“Are you telling me your word, or are you _using_ it?” Yassen leaned in, his breath ghosting over Alex’s neck.

“Telling you.” Alex gripped Yassen’s hips in his hands, his fingers sliding under Yassen’s T-shirt.

“Good boy,” Yassen breathed against Alex’s neck, his lips trailing over it, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“Dessert first?” 

Without another word, Yassen tugged Alex out of the kitchen into the living room, where he sat down on the sofa and patted his lap.

“Sit.”

Alex made himself comfortable in Yassen’s lap, grinding down with a devilish smirk. Yassen put his hands in Alex’s back pockets and pulled him closer.

One of Yassen's hands came to rest at the nape of Alex's neck, warm and heavy. Alex let out a moan, closing his eyes briefly.

"What else do you like, little one?" Yassen put pressure on Alex's neck, bringing him closer until they were speaking against each other's lips.

"Why don't you try and find out? Don't want to make this boring for you."

Yassen chuckled, his other hand squeezing Alex's arse through his jeans.

"Oh darling, as if I could get bored of you."

Want punched Alex in the gut as he plastered himself against Yassen, face to face, chest to chest. He never knew pet names would do it for him. But coming from Yassen, in that lovely voice of his…

"Kiss me, precious," Yassen demanded.

Maybe if all orders came from Yassen, were delivered in that tone of voice and referred to him as precious, Alex would have an easier time following them.

Alex sucked Yassen's lower lip into his mouth, a quick suck and nip of teeth, his tongue slipping into Yassen's mouth, exploring.

Kissing Yassen was addictive. Alex felt like he couldn't get enough, of the feeling, the scent, of Yassem's hands on his skin, his nails leaving faint red marks behind. Normally Alex would be giving back as good as he got but all he could do was grind down on Yassen's hardening cock and make embarrassing noises.

Yassen pulled his hair and Alex followed his hand, his mouth dripping open on a long, filthy moan.

"You're even more responsive than I hoped for." Yassen thumbed his nipple, making Alex squirm. Fuck, he wasn't that sensitive normally.

"Been thinking 'bout it a lot?" Alex planted out, his fingers digging into Yassen's shoulders and biceps, running over the sleek, toned muscles.

"You could say that, yes," Yassen replied, annoyingly calm and only slightly out of breath. Alex narrowed his eyes.

"I want to blow you," he demanded and added after a split second, "I've been imagining it for days."

Alex was gratified by the look on Yassen's face, the way his cock twitched against Alex's thigh, the hiss Yassen let out through his teeth.

"You still have that annoying penchant for ruining my plans." Yassen surged up to kiss him, trapping his hand between their chests and squeezing Alex's nipple between his thumb and forefinger until all Alex felt was deliciously warm pain. 

Alex whined, high in his throat, hips stuttering against Yassen's. He wouldn't be distracted.

"Does that mean you'll let me suck you?" 

Yassen rested his forehead on Alex's shoulder, his breath hot and wet through the thin layer of clothing. He nodded.

Alex sank to his knees, shouldered Yassen's legs apart and settled himself down comfortably. Yassen was looking at him with dark eyes, his mouth slightly open. Alex wanted to put colour in those cheeks, make him bite his lips, wanted to make him lose that iron-clad control.

With a look from under his lashes, Alex undid Yassen's jeans, popping the button and bringing the zipper down slowly, never breaking eye contact. Yassen cradled his cheek and Alex pressed a kiss to the centre of his palm.

"I'm going to wreck you," he promised.

"You can try," Yassen rasped out.

Alex had been wondering whether he wanted to take Yassen's apart hard and fast or to make it long and slow, making him lose his mind slowly with every suck and lick but Yassen's challenge made the decision for him.

He pressed his face against Yassen's cock, inhaling deeply, his eyes closing as he was hit with musk and the scent of clean if slightly sweaty skin. He mouthed at Yassen's cock through his underwear, delivering kittenish licks along his length, one of his favourite teases. Alex knew he was good at giving head, to both men and women, if the feedback he got in the past was anything to go by. He was determined to pull out all the stops, use all the tricks he had at his disposal.

Alex licked his palm, lowered Yassen's underwear and took him in hand, appreciating how hot and thick he felt in his hand, even as his cock hardened further. Pre-come was welling on the head; Alex closed his lips around it and sucked, moaning at the taste. He looked at Yassen, who was concentrating on the sight of his dick in Alex's mouth.

"I'll let you in on a secret." He mouthed at the vein on the side of Yassen's cock, sighing as he felt it firming further under his tongue. 

"What's that?" Yassen ran his fingers through Alex's hair, down to his cheek, pressing into it when Alex took him into his mouth briefly.

"I don’t have a gag reflex." Alex smiled at Yassen innocently, blinking his eyes slowly and looking up at him. "I need you to fuck my mouth, Yassen."

Alex lapped at the pre-come that spurted from Yassen's cock, too intent on the task at hand (and wasn't it proving to be more than a big handful) to gloat and smirk. He slid Yassen's cockhead into his mouth, sucking it in deeper, pushing it against his tongue and palate as he prepared to deep throat him.

He felt Yassen’s hands cradling his head. His eyes fell closed, his mouth full, Yassen’s cock sliding in deeper until he could feel it at the back of his throat. Alex sighed at the feeling, his lips coming to rest in the nest of curls at the root of Yassen’s cock. 

Yassen held him there, his hands a steady pressure on Alex’s head. Alex palmed Yassen’s balls, warm and silky in his hand. His other hand curled around Yassen’s hip, pressing him closer. 

“Look at me,” Yassen said, his voice raspy and slightly unsteady.

Alex opened his eyes and looked up at Yassen. There was slight colour in his cheeks, his breaths coming faster. Alex moaned and gloated internally; he barely started and Yassen was beginning to come apart. 

“You look good with your lips around me,” Yassen complimented him, his hips beginning to press in deeper until Alex’s nose was buried in his pubic hair. “Imagine if people knew that the best way to shut you up is to stuff your mouth with cock.”

Alex moaned, the sound reverberating in his throat. He loved giving head, there was something in him that calmed during it, being on his knees, giving pleasure to others, letting them take what they wanted. 

Yassen was breathing heavier and heavier, groaning in his throat as he fucked up into Alex’s mouth, his considerable length filling Alex, the taste and scent filling his head in a pleasurable haze. 

“The things I will do to you, precious,” Yassen panted. “I’ve been thinking about it since I saw you again, you grew up into a handsome man, Alex. You’d look good in a shoulder harness, on your knees in front of me, waiting for me to let you come. People would pay to see it.”

Alex felt himself growing even harder in his jeans, his hips humping the air. He could see the image Yassen was painting with his words very clearly, him on his knees in front of people, with his eyes just for Yassen. 

Yassen’s thrusts sped up. Alex squeezed his balls, heavy and tight in his hand and Yassen groaned something in Russian.

“But I wouldn’t let anyone see you come, Alex. Because that’s just for me, isn’t it?” 

Alex moaned, a long, drawn-out sound and that’s all it took for Yassen to come, shooting down Alex’s throat. He never stopped looking at Yassen, who threw his head back as he came, his mouth open on a silent moan, his hands tight around Alex’s head. Alex gripped his thighs, steadying himself as Yassen softened in his mouth. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Yassen petting Alex’s hair and murmuring praise.

“You did well, precious, such a good boy.”

Alex squirmed on his knees, his dick a hard, rigid line in his jeans. Yassen let go of his head, slipped his soft cock out of Alex’s mouth and tucked himself away. He grabbed Alex under his armpits and hauled him into his lap, kissing him deeply. Alex ground his hips down in Yassen’s lap, chasing his orgasm.

“Are you close, precious?” Yassen asked quietly, his hands on Alex’s hips, guiding his rocking.

“Yes,” Alex breathed out.

"I'd like to try something."

"Yeah?" He looked at Yassen, content to let him try anything he wanted.

"Think you can stay hard through dinner?" Yassen smiled at Alex’s whine. “Remember, you can always say no or-”

“I can do it.” He surprised himself by agreeing.

“What would you like as a reward?” 

Yassen’s grip on his hips stopped him humping the air. Alex shook his head.

“You choose.”

Yassen kissed his neck. “You’re full of surprises, precious.”

Alex shuddered at the pet name.

“You like that, don’t you? Being precious to me?”

The lovely, quiet haze in his mind was retreating slowly but Alex nodded. He wanted to be cherished by Yassen, he wanted to be called sweet names and given things, most of all he wanted all of Yassen’s attention.

“Good boy. Come, let’s eat.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> be the change you want to see in the fandom? 🤷

Alex drained the glass of water Yassen passed him. His throat felt raw, _used_ , and he had trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that he just went down on Yassen a few minutes ago. It felt rather surreal, now, to stand in his kitchen and watch as Yassen dished out their starter, goat's cheese, pear and walnut salad, arranged expertly on big, black plates while he was still hard and aching because Yassen asked him to wait.

"Could you grab the wine from the counter?" Yassen pointed towards the bottle with a nod.

Alex put the empty glass in the sink and did as asked. He followed Yassen to the mahogany table which overlooked the living room - and the sofa. He cleared his throat, feeling awkward. He never knew how to behave after sex, the segue between sexual tension and non-sexual parts of life feeling at odds.

He sat in the chair Yassen pulled out for him, feeling a bit warm under the collar at both the gesture, his thoughts and the fact that he was still hard.

"Enjoy." Yassen gestured at him to eat.

The first bite of pear and goat's cheese had Alex humming in appreciation at the texture and flavour.

"This is really good."

"Thank you." Yassen took a sip of his wine.

"Do you like cooking?" Alex speared a walnut with his fork.

"Yes, I find it relaxing. I like that I can enjoy the fruits of my labour after I put in the effort, so to speak."

"Never really pictured you as much of a cook."

"Did you think about me that often?" Yassen asked, clearly amused.

Alex shrugged. "Now and then, yes. Especially after I arrived in Malagosto."

"I take it you didn't enjoy your time there."

It was Alex's turn to take a sip of wine as he pondered the question. He could feel himself tensing but not in a fun way. "It wasn't… no, it wasn't for me. And I could have done without Rothman trying to kill me."

"You'd think you'd be used to people wanting to kill you by then."

"Bit of a mood killer there, Yassen," Alex pointed out. "I'm not going to be able to… uh keep my promise if we continue this conversation."

Yassen nodded. "Good point. Thank you for telling me."

Alex stared at his empty plate, jerking when he felt Yassen's foot trailing up his leg. He stared at him.

"Really?"

Yassen chuckled. "Not a fan of playing footsie, sugarok?"

Alex cleared his throat as Yassen’s foot pressed on the inside of his thigh. Alex tensed, leaning into the touch. “I could be persuaded.”

Yassen’s foot was gone, suddenly and as Alex blinked, Yassen was up on his feet, reaching for Alex’s plate. “Don’t want the main course to go cold.”

Alex stayed seated, drained half his glass of wine and tried to decidedly _not_ fidget in his seat in the time it took Yassen to bring out the main course. He was hard and while the talking helped take his mind off it, having Yassen play footsie with him under the table was making him feel ready to explode. Which was ridiculous, it's not as if he was sixteen again and ready to come at the first touch of another person's hand on his cock; but that is exactly how Yassen made him feel. It made Alex feel stupidly aroused and stupidly annoyed and rash. He was tempted to drape himself over the table with his trousers down so that Yassen would fuck him already, he was so -

"Are you bored, little Alex?" Yassen's voice brought him out of his thoughts. Yassen was coming closer, two plates in his hands, a knowing look on his face.

"A little unstimulated, yeah," Alex replied, wondering how Yassen would react to that.

Yassen placed a plate in front of him, put the other plate down as well.

"We can't have that." Yassen leaned towards him, his hand hot at the back of Alex's neck and brought him in for a kiss, deep and thorough, Yassen's tongue claiming his mouth. Alex breathed through his nose, cursed the table that dug into his stomach, a whine leaving his lips when Yassen pulled away. He blinked slowly, taking in Yassen's pleased expression.

"Better?"

"Marginally," Alex said dryly. He turned the attention to his plate. The sooner they were done with dinner, the sooner he could get Yassen to concentrate on the task. He didn't want to seem ungrateful. Alex twirled a bit of pasta on his fork and took a bite.

"Wow, okay, you're a really good cook. And I'm not just saying that to get in your pants."

Yassen laughed at that, neatly cutting up a piece of chicken. "Thank you. It's chicken dijon with white wine sauce, nothing fancy."

"Seriously, all I can cook is cheesy pasta and eggs and soldiers." Alex took another forkful of his meal.

"I could teach you, if you'd like," Yassen offered easily.

"Another thing on your long list of things to teach me? You might run out of time."

"I wasn't aware that there was a time-limit on this." Yassen put his cutlery down and reached for his wine glass.

Alex swallowed down his food and took a sip of wine to get some time to think. He naturally assumed that Yassen was interested in something casual, lasting a few weeks...

"My schedule is open," he replied with a shrug.

"Good. There's no need to worry about running out of time, then."

Alex looked away, unable to bear Yassen's gaze for a second longer, afraid he would combust if he looked at the man. They spent the rest of their meal talking about Alex's latest coding project, Yassen telling Alex about his colleagues at the bank. They stayed talking at the table once the food was gone, finishing their wine. Yassen got up and reached for the plates but Alex shook his head.

"Let me, you did the cooking."

"Alright, you wash, I dry?"

Alex washed their plates, handing them over to Yassen, his soapy wet fingers pressing against Yassen's. Yassen dried, the silence between them comfortable and for a second Alex could see this happening in the future, down the line, a routine of him washing the dishes after Yassen cooked when he came home from the bank, lovely meals and affection and pet names -

Yassen came up behind him, standing close to Alex.

"This alright?" He slid his hands around Alex, his fingers resting on Alex's stomach.

Alex leaned back against him, feeling the warm, sturdy chest at his back. He drained the sink, dried his hands on a tea towel and tilted his head to the side.

"You're very quiet, Alex."

"Just - thinking."

Yassen pressed a soft kiss to his neck. "Want to tell me what about?"

Alex shook his head. "Not yet. Take me to bed, Yassen, I've been -"

"You've been very patient, yes." Yassen slid his hand down to cup Alex who groaned. "And you stayed hard, good boy."

Alex pushed into Yassen's hand, then rubbed his ass against Yassen's crotch, feeling Yassen firming under his touch. Yassen pressed him against the sink, squeezing Alex's cock.

"Do you still want me to choose your reward?" Yassen bit his earlobe.

"What are the choices?" Alex panted lightly, grinding his ass against Yassen, enjoying being pinned so thoroughly, unable to buck Yassen off.

"I could suck you," Yassen punctuated that with a hard suck on Alex's neck, behind his ear. "I could eat you out, I could fuck you, you could fuck me..."

Alex moaned, his bones gone liquid at the sweet pain of hickey. "Yes."

"Yes which?"

"Yes to all," he whined.

Yassen laughed, low and gravelly. "Precious boy. Will I choose for you?"

"Please."

Yassen moved his other hand until he had a handful of Alex's ass and squeezed. "I'm going to eat you out and then I'm going to fuck you as a reward. How about that?"

"Oh god, yes, please." Alex grabbed the back of Yassen's head and brought him in for an awkward, sideways kiss.

Yassen rutted against his ass, then pulled away abruptly.

"Bed, now." His fingers caught the loops on Alex's jeans and pulled him towards the bedroom.

Alex followed, trailing his fingers up Yassen's forearm, scratching against the grain of the hair. Yassen squirmed away.

"Are you ticklish?" Alex asked, delighted.

"No," Yassen flat out denied, pulling Alex into a kiss when it seemed like he was going to say something else.

Alex laughed into the kiss, his laughter changing into a moan when Yassen sucked on his tongue, his fingers digging into Alex's back. His shirt was taken off, Yassen's hands roaming over his chest and back, tweaking nipples, scratching and grasping, as if he couldn't get enough, as if he had to do it all now and would never have the chance again.

With an impatient tug at Yassen's t-shirt, then separated only long enough to get rid of it before they were back skin to skin, warmth and softness, Yassen's chest hair scratching softly against Alex's chest.

"Do you want a condom?" Yassen asked against his neck, rolling Alex's nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

"No, I got tested recently, nothing to report," Alex gasped out. "Besides, I already went down on you."

"True," Yassen mouthed at his collarbone, scraping his teeth over it, "but if you want - "

Alex moaned. "No, I want to feel you."

Yassen turned him and pushed him on the bed, making Alex bounce with the force of it. Holding his gaze, Yassen undid his jeans slowly, sliding them and his underwear down his hips, his strong thighs, his muscled calves. Alex swallowed, licking his lips at the sight of the cock he sucked not so long ago. Fuck, he _wanted_.

With easy grace, Yassen stepped out of his clothes and came to Alex, his fingers falling to the button on Alex's jeans. Alex raised his hips in answer.

Yassen carefully undid Alex's trousers and peeled them off his hips, doing the same with his underwear, smiling at the sigh of relief Alex let out when his cock was finally naked, slapping against his stomach, red with blood.

"Poor darling boy," Yassen crawled on the bed over Alex, kissing up his knee to his hip. "Had to wait so long."

Alex felt himself flushing, his hips rising closer to Yassen, who pinned them down in an easy movement. He tried wriggling away but Yassen held him down without an effort and Alex thought back to their phone conversation, Yassen promising to let him trash around, promised to hold him down so tight he wouldn't be able to get away. He moaned when Yassen's lips closed around the head of his cock, his eyes zeroing in on the view.

"Fuuuuck," Alex hissed out.

Yassen sucked and Alex had to think of all the most unpleasant things he could imagine - working for MI6 again, that awful beanie Tom insisted on wearing - to stop himself from coming straight away. He wasn't sixteen, for god's sake.

"On your hands and knees, precious." Yassen couldn't miss the way Alex's cock twitched.

Alex scrambled on the bed, his knees splayed wide, his head dropping to the mattress, resting on this forearm. One of Yassen's hands slid over his arse, warm and firm, before squeezing.

"You have a beautiful arse, Alex," Yassen said conversationally, palming it all the while.

"Uh, ah, thank you?" Alex stuttered into his arm as Yassen's thumb caressed his hole.

Yassen's chuckle sent a shiver down his spine, as he felt his breath ghosting over his ass. Yassen spread him open with his fingers, squeezing his ass all the while. Alex let out a filthy moan at the feeling of Yassen's tongue on his hole, pushing back against his face, wanting more, more, _more_ of the feeling. His skin felt too tight, Yassen eating him out felt too good, he had been hard for too long.

Alex sobbed on the next inhale when Yassen licked into him, his tongue breaching Alex, setting his nerves on fire that Alex wasn't sure he wanted to put out. He rocked back against Yassen's face, his rhythm picking up until Yassen slapped his ass in warning. Alex moaned, the stinging heat adding to his overload. He lost track of time, all he was aware of was his heavy, leaking cock, Yassen's tongue in his ass, the way it made him whine when Yassen licked out.

"Please, Yassen, please, I'm so close," Alex whined, biting his forearm, his hair sticking to his forehead with sweat.

Yassen let go of one of his ass cheeks, his hand closing tightly around Alex's cock. Alex groaned but managed to grab Yassen's wrist to stop him from bringing him off.

"Inside me, c'mon, please," he panted out, squeezing Yassen's wrist.

Yassen pulled away, reaching for the nightstand and grabbing lube.

"Last offer on that condom." Yassen's voice was low, lower than Alex had ever heard before.

" _Fuck me_ ," Alex demanded, glaring at Yassen over his shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to give me what I want, sugar daddy?"

The look Yassen gave him made Alex squirm, unsure whether it promised sex or pain or _both_. Yassen slicked himself up, his hand gripping Alex's hip tight as he pushed Alex down on the bed, before he covered him with his own body. Alex felt him press in, the thick, blunt head of his cock pushing in slowly, punching out a moan from Alex. He tilted his hips, eager to take all of Yassen in. His cock was trapped between his stomach and the soft sheets, leaking profusely. Yassen felt hot and heavy on his back, pinning him down, pressing in and in and in.

"You will find, precious," Yassen said in his ear, breathing harshly, "that I'm the one who decides when and how to fuck you."

Alex moaned, trying to wriggle from under Yassen, only to still as Yassen bit his shoulder, his teeth clamping hard enough to make Alex shout as he came suddenly, clenching tight around Yassen. He gasped for air, clawing at the bedsheets.

Yassen rutted his hips into Alex's ass, sucking on the skin between his teeth. Alex pushed back weakly, trying to tilt his hips so that Yassen would find his prostate. Still shaking from his orgasm, he pushed up on his elbows, his cheek brushing against Yassen's temple.

"Well, then?" He rasped out. "When are you going to fuck me?"

Yassen pulled out before shoving back in, a punishing thrust that made Alex groan.

"C'mon, old man - "

Before he knew it, his face was down on the bed, Yassen's hand hard against the back of his skull as Yassen established a fast rhythm, his cock sliding into Alex easily. He could feel Yassen maneuvering over his head and then his hips were being raised, a pillow placed underneath them as Yassen repositioned himself.

"Careful, precious," Yassen cautioned.

"Why?" Alex panted out, shaking with the power of Yassen's thrusts.

Yassen angled his hips and oh fuck -

" _There_ ," Alex gasped out, pushing back.

"If you're a brat, I'll have to do something about it." Yassen thrust into him, changing the angle again, teasing Alex. "I might not let you come. Or..."

Alex tightened around him, cursing their position because all he wanted was to kiss Yassen, lick those stupidly beautiful lips, suck on his tongue until he would run out of breath.

"I see," Yassen gasped out with a chuckle. "The second option, then."

Before Alex could process that, Yassen was back to nailing his prostate with each thrust, unerringly on the money. Alex couldn't quite describe the noise that came from him, long and low as Yassen sped up, one of his hands on Alex's hip, the other tangling in Alex's hair, yanking his head back.

Alex positively whined at that, stinging pain in his scalp travelling straight to his cock, making it twitch in a valiant effort. If he thought his nerves were on fire before, it was nothing compared to now, Yassen stringing out moans and sensations out of his body Alex wasn't aware existed.

"Please, please, Yassen," he babbled, his eyes closed as Yassen pounded into him, _used_ him.

"Do you want me to give you what you need, Alex?" Yassen leaned to say into his ear.

"Yessss," Alex hissed out.

"Precious boy, you feel so good around me. You take my cock so well. You look beautiful like this, so open, sprawled underneath me." Yassen's voice sent shivers down his spine, his balls drawing up tight to his body, his cock filling again. "You're going to come for me, aren't you, darling boy?"

Alex sobbed as he nodded, his hair pulling where Yassen had a steel grip on it. Yassen's hips were moving faster, his thrusts hard, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room, mingling with their harsh breaths. He was so close, so close...

"Come for Daddy, Alex," Yassen commanded, pulling Alex's hair and he was gone, coming dry, twitching in Yassen's embrace, his voice a high whine as Yassen fucked into him a few more times before he, too, came.

Alex groaned as Yassen pulled out and laid beside him, his hand trailing up and down Alex's back. Turning his head to the other side, Alex looked at Yassen, the sight of his flushed face making him feel smug.

"You alright, precious?" Yassen asked, his hand splayed between Alex's shoulder blades.

"Mmm," Alex mumbled out, enjoying the endorphins of his second orgasm.

Yassen trailed his hand lower, over Alex's arse, his fingers tracing Alex's hole. Alex whined, attempting to move away but only flopping on the bed unconvincingly. Yassen chuckled, pushing his come back into Alex with his fingers.

"Are you always this chatty after sex?"

Alex batted his hand in Yassen's direction weakly.

"Only after a proper shagging."

"Daddy provided, huh?" Yassen pressed a kiss to Alex's shoulder.

Alex groaned, hiding his face in the bedsheets.

"Yeah let's not."

"But you were such a good boy," Yassen teased, his voice warm.

Alex raised his head to look at him and felt himself blush at the look Yassen gave him, affectionate and teasing, so not what he expected.

Yassen laughed and pulled Alex into his arms, hiding Alex's face in his left shoulder.

"I'll lay off the teasing until you can speak coherently again."

Alex felt the rough scar tissue against his cheek. That's where Yassen was shot, all those years ago, when he refused to kill him. He clenched his eyes shut against the influx of emotions, his body tensing unconsciously.

"Alex?"

He shook his head and pressed his lips to Yassen's scar.

"Ah. No need to worry, I'm fine."

"Not the point," Alex said into Yassen's shoulder.

"No," Yassen agreed.

They stayed like that, Yassen carding his fingers through Alex's hair, his shoulder around Alex's side and back, holding him securely. Alex listened to his heartbeat slowing down and let himself be lulled to sleep.

*

Alex jerked awake, panting and covered in sweat, disoriented in the darkness, the smell of the room not what he was used to. He twisted in the sheets, trying to escape them when a warm hand closed around his wrist.

"You're safe. You're with me."

Alex looked at the man next to him and shook his head. Yassen was propped up on his elbow, looking alert and entirely too awake.

"Sorry, nightmare." Alex ran his hand over his face.

"You don't have to apologise. What did you see?" Yassen pulled him back towards the headboard so they were sitting side by side.

"Air Force One," Alex said numbly. "You getting shot, dying again."

"I'm very much alive."

Alex shrugged, pulling his knees to his chest. "You weren't then."

"Can I touch you?" Yassen's hand stilled just above Alex's wrist, waiting for his say so.

Alex nodded. Yassen took his hand, placed it over his heart, over the scar just above it.

"You can feel my heart. I'm alright, Alex."

Alex curled his fingers into Yassen's skin, staring at his hand, at the contrast between Alex's golden tan and Yassen's pale chest, dusted with blond hair. He kept seeing Cray pointing his gun at Yassen, Yassen's expression of surprise, heard Sabina's scream. He closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath in, counting to four, held it in for four, exhaled for four, like he was taught in therapy years ago.

"What do you need?" Yassen's voice was soft, his hand warm over Alex's wrist.

"I don't know. I usually go for a run but..."

"We can do that. You can borrow my clothes."

Alex blinked up at him, ready to refuse but running sounded like what he needed. And if Yassen was there with him, well, it would be easy to look to the side and reassure himself that this was real. He nodded and scrambled out of the bed, Yassen following him.

"The bathroom's through there, I'll bring your bag and some clothes." Yassen turned to walk away but Alex stopped him with a hand on his bicep.

"Thanks."

Yassen nodded, cupping his hand around Alex's cheek, running his thumb under Alex's eye. Alex leaned into the touch and took a step closer to Yassen, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

"You're welcome, precious."

They ran through the quiet streets, passing a few people by. Yassen led them on a route through the neighbourhood, their pace steady even though Alex wanted to pound the pavement until he was left a gasping, sweaty mess, chasing the nightmares and memories away. It seemed to Alex that Yassen never tired and it made him determined to keep up. By the time they came back to Yassen's, it was five-thirty and the street was flooded with sunlight.

"Why don't you shower first, I'll make breakfast."

"We could share?" Alex offered, his stomach growling just a second later.

Yassen smiled. "I think we'd get distracted, I wouldn't want you hungry."

Alex showered, enjoying the fancy set up Yassen had in his en-suite bathroom, using Yassen's soap and shampoo. He decided he wouldn't feel guilty at the way smelling like Yassen made his mind settle down.

He towelled off, dressed in the clothes he brought with him and made his way to the kitchen where Yassen stood by the window, still in his sweaty clothes, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. His eyes were closed as he enjoyed the sun on his face and something in Alex felt like it clicked into place, a soft shift that made him catch his breath.

Yassen turned to him and smiled. Alex could do nothing but smile back.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex walked into the cafe, mentally preparing his order, his eyes sweeping the place out of habit. He froze for a second when he spotted Yassen - in his Jeremy persona, his scar covered up, contacts hiding his blue eyes - talking to a young guy who looked about Alex's age.

He ordered on autopilot, positioning himself so that he would be able to observe them from the corner of his eye. They were sitting opposite each other, leaning over the small round table as they spoke, Yassen laughing at something the guy said.

Alex scowled, the guy wasn't even cute. Sure, his shoulders were nice and wide in his T-shirt and he had a pretty good smile. Alex turned away, shutting down that train of thought.

It was fine. Yassen could meet whoever he wanted. It's not as if they were exclusive or anything. Alex just - assumed. He glanced at his watch - Yassen's silver watch, the same one Yassen put on his wrist a few weeks ago - trying to distract himself from his rapidly darkening mood. Should he go and say hello? He wasn't sure what the protocol was here, when he saw his sugar daddy out in the wild with another guy.

He was ready to kiss the barista when his iced coffee was put in front of him. He grabbed it and left the cafe, lest he would give into the urge to walk up to Yassen and stake his claim on the man. Not that he had a claim, it seemed.

He walked on autopilot to Jack's place, falling back on his years with MI6 to keep him from walking in front of a bus.

He had no idea why he was taking this so hard. Sure, he and Yassen had a good time these past few weeks, or at least he thought so. They wined and dined and fucked plenty. Alex enjoyed spending time with Yassen, getting to stretch on his sinfully comfortable sofa with his back against Yassen's side as they watched a movie. Or having Yassen guide his hands through cutting motions as the older man taught him how to cook and prepare basic dishes he deemed easy enough for Alex to master. Had he read Yassen wrong? Did he not enjoy himself?

"You look like a kicked puppy," was Jack's greeting when he rang her doorbell.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Hi Jack, it's nice to see you too."

"Why do you look like a kicked puppy?"

Alex shouldered his way past her, putting his empty coffee cup on the console table in her hallway.

"I don't look like a kicked puppy."

"What's that about a puppy?" Henry, Jack's fiancé asked as he popped his head through the door.

"Nothing," Alex said at the same time as Jack said, "Alex looks like a kicked puppy."

"Sorry, mate, I'm with Jack on this one."

Alex huffed. "Traitor, you always side with her."

"That's what a good boyfriend does, obviously," Henry replied.

"Oh. What's Jeremy done?" Jack asked as she led Alex into the kitchen, where Henry was preparing lunch for the three of them.

"What makes you think he's done something?" Alex took an apple from a bowl and threw it in the air before catching it swiftly.

"Your face and the fact that you're playing with your food."

Jack sat down next to him and bumped his shoulder with hers. "C'mon, tell us."

"I just... saw him in a cafe with someone." Alex shrugged.

"Okay...?"

"I don't know if it was a date or not." He felt ridiculous as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Aren't you guys exclusive?" Henry put down a glass of white wine in front of Alex and gestured at him to drink.

"I thought so but - "

"You haven't talked about it?"

"Is that something people talk about?" Alex grimaced. "I don't know, I just assumed."

Jack and Henry exchanged a look, something that always irked Alex. He got that they were a thing and Henry was a pretty good guy but it used to be him and Jack that could carry conversations with just looks. It was stupid but seeing Jack and Henry communicate wordlessly made him feel like he was replaced. Not that he wanted to go out with Jack. It was just that he missed having a close bond with someone like that.

"What?" He barked out.

"Okay, so you obviously don't want Jeremy to see other people. Do you want to see other people?" Jack asked, her hand patting his knee comfortingly.

Alex took a sip of his wine as he thought about it. Did he want to date other people? No, not really.

He shook his head. "No."

"Well, then tell him that." Jack said, as if it was that easy.

"But... how? Did you guys just like, sit down and talk about what you wanted from each other?"

"Yes," Jack and Henry chorused.

Alex let his head drop to the table with a thud.

"Drink your wine, I don't want you denting my good table with your hard head," Jack scolded him. "It's not as if we had an agenda or anything but yeah, part of being in a relationship is just checking in with each other from time to time to see if you're still on the same wavelength."

Honestly, it sounded mortifying, giving Alex flashbacks to therapy. He imagined himself and Yassen, on opposite sides of a meeting table, sheafs of paper in front of each of them, awkward silence filling the room.

"But how do I bring it up?"

"Just say hey, can I check in with you? I mean, if you're not comfortable doing that then maybe you need to think about being with him, you know?"

"Mm, Jack's right," Henry agreed.

"Does he know about your uh teenage problems?" Jack queried, her hand moving in soothing circles between Alex's shoulder blades.

"Yeah. Nightmares."

"And how did he react to that?"

There were a few more times in the past few weeks when Alex woke up from a nightmare, only to have Yassen calm him down, either by taking him out for a run, or by talking to him, telling him stories about growing up in Russia, or sometimes by having achingly sweet and slow sex, skin against skin, more about reassuring Alex that they were both okay rather than chasing orgasms.

"He was very supportive," Alex admitted. "Helped me calm down, let me talk if I wanted to."

"Well then, I'd say he wouldn't be too spooked if you wanted to talk about this."

"I guess..."

"And after you guys talk it out, you're going to introduce us. Seriously, Alex, it's been over a month!" 

Alex was saved from replying by his phone pinging with a new message. He took it out of his pocket, his heart doing a somersault as he read the text from Yassen.

_Want to come over tonight?_

Okay, so he hadn't been spotted. And he might as well take the bull by the horns and talk to Yassen.

_Sure, I'm at Jack's now_

_Come over when you're done_

"Is that him?"

"Yeah, I'm going over to his later."

Jack clapped her hands. "Alright, we'll have you in prime condition for that. Chop, chop, Henry, we need food. Alex can't go in drunk."

"I'm not drunk!"

"No but by the time I give you the whole relationship talk, you will wish you were."

Alex looked at Henry pleadingly.

"You're on your own there, mate. But I did make my nan’s shakshouka."

"The only good thing about this day," Alex muttered.

*

Alex decidedly didn’t hesitate as he approached Yassen’s place. He could stare down terrorists but talking to the man he was fucking about being exclusive? Give him a terrorist any day.

“Are you planning on loitering here all day, precious?”

Yassen was standing in the door, leaning his shoulder against the frame, his hands in his jeans pockets. He was still wearing the same outfit from earlier and looked stupidly attractive. 

“What’s wrong?” Yassen pushed off the door frame and came closer, his hand reaching for Alex’s shoulder, his eyes flitting over him, looking for injuries. 

Alex closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. 

“Are you seeing other people?”

Yassen looked surprised, a quick furrowing of his brow before his expression smoothed out.

“Why don’t we have this conversation inside?”

Alex followed him inside, closing the door behind them, his stomach heavy with dread. 

Yassen reached for Alex as he sat down on the sofa, his hand warm around Alex’s wrist. Alex sat down further away than he normally would, bracing himself for what he knew was coming; Yassen was bound to break it off with him once he finally understood how needy Alex was. There was only so much a person could take, Alex knew, and he was the definition of too much.

“I’m not seeing anyone else, Alex.”

Yassen’s voice brought him back to the moment; it took him a second to process the words, anger coursing in his veins. Did Yassen really think Alex so stupid?

“I saw you -”

“I know.” Yassen interrupted, his thumb rubbing circles on Alex’s wrist. “Paul is a coworker, I’m mentoring him at the bank, I’ve told you about him before.”

Alex furrowed his brows, snatching his hand back from Yassen.

“What do you mean you know?”

Yassen let out a sigh. “I saw you at the cafe.”

Alex ran his hand through his hair, pulling at the ends. Of course Yassen had seen him, what did he expect? Yassen was retired but he was always cautious and vigilant; he would have noticed Alex the moment he stepped foot in the cafe. Alex thought back, remembering the way Yassen continued talking to Paul, the way he laughed, open and loud, how he so obviously ignored Alex.

“Why didn’t you say anything? Do you not want to be seen with me?” 

Yassen leaned back on the sofa and wiped his hand down his face.

“ _I_ don’t want to - You acted as if you didn’t know me, Alex. I got the hint.”

Alex got up, too frustrated to keep sitting. “What do you mean you got the hint?”

He felt Yassen’s eyes on him as he paced in front of the window, unable to look at him. What the hell was Yassen on about? 

“You don’t want anyone to know about us. I’m not ecstatic over it but I understand - “

“I don’t want to know anyone...?!” Alex turned around, his anger making him brave enough to face Yassen. He stalked closer, finger pointing at Yassen, a dull roar in his ears. “What the hell, you’re the one who -”

“Bishop.” Yassen’s voice was calm, belying his expression.

Alex jerked back as if slapped. It was the first time Yassen ever used the word around Alex. He licked his lips nervously, unsure what was going on. 

Yassen patted the sofa and stared at him until Alex came and sat down.

“Precious,” Yassen said softly, his eyes never leaving Alex’s face. “I don’t know where you got the idea but I’m not ashamed to be seen with you.”

Alex opened his mouth to interrupt but Yassen held up his hand to stop him. 

“I want you. I want to introduce you to the people in my life. I want to get to know your friends, alright? And I’m definitely not dating anyone else. I haven’t been since you first met me for dinner.”

“Oh.”

They sat in silence, the space between them feeling like a chasm. 

“Don’t keep me waiting too long,” Yassen muttered under his breath.

“You never said...” Alex trailed off, unsure. Had he really read the situation so wrong?

“I was following your lead, Alex. You’re the one with more at stake here. Your friends, Jack... You never brought up us meeting so I figured out you wanted to keep those two parts of your life separate.” 

“I thought you just wanted… I don’t know, I thought I was your fun bit on the side and in the beginning that was fine but -”

“Idiot,” Yassen said tenderly, moving closer to Alex, his hand on Alex’s neck, hauling him in for a hug. Alex let himself be folded into Yassen’s arms, his head under Yassen’s chin. “Why didn’t you ask?”

“I was following _your_ lead.”

Yassen laughed. “We probably should have had this conversation sooner.”

Alex groaned and hid his face in Yassen’s throat. 

“I’m really not good at that.”

Yassen carded his fingers through Alex’s hair. “Neither am I. It’s a steep learning curve.”

“This is awkward,” Alex mumbled.

“Only because you’re letting it be.”

Alex snorted at that. 

“I was going to wait a bit but…”

He pulled away and looked up at Yassen, who reached into his jeans pocket and placed something on Alex’s hand. Alex furrowed his brows.

“A key? To your place?”

Yassen shook his head.

“Our new place. Quiet, bought under a shell company name, MI6 won’t be able to tie it back to me, in case they’re still keeping an eye on you.”

Alex sat there, speechless. While he was freaking out about Yassen seeing other people, Yassen was buying them a place?

“What?”

Yassen shrugged. “I didn’t want to risk visiting your flat in case they were still surveilling you.”

“So you bought us a place,” Alex said disbelievingly.

“A house, yes.”

“What about my flat?”

“Rent it out, keep it for when you need some space. I want you to feel secure.”

Alex laughed, a deep belly laugh, tears in his eyes. 

“Sorry, sorry. I just - I thought you were going to break up with me and you _bought me a house_. It’s a good thing I’m not in the field anymore if I read this situation that wrong.”

Yassen smiled, rubbing his hand up and down Alex’s back. “It’s a good thing, indeed.”

“Are we okay?” Alex asked, his fingers clenched tight around the key Yassen gave him.

“We’re okay, precious.”

“And we’re dating exclusively,” Alex double-checked.

Yassen’s lips quirked up in a smirk. “You’re my only sugar baby, yes.”

Alex huffed and punched him on the shoulder lightly.

“Such abuse.” Yassen slid his fingers in Alex’s hair, tugging his head up and leaning in to kiss him.

Alex pressed against him, returning the kiss, his eyes slipping closed, his mind falling blessedly silent at the feeling of Yassen’s hand at the nape of his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really dislike the miscommunication trope and guess what!!! I wrote myself into a corner where I had to use it!!!! Writing this was so fucking painful I thought I'd never get it done. Either way, I hope you enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

“Look, mate, it’s just… You’ve known the guy for a month and you’re moving in together. Isn’t that a bit soon?”

Alex resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew Tom had a point - would have had a point - if the story he told them was true, if he really had only known Jeremy - Yassen - for two months. It was moments like this one that made him reluctant to share more information about his relationship. How could he explain to his friends that he and Yassen have been through more together than his friends knew?

He ran his fingers over the cover of the sofa they were looking at. It felt nice and he could imagine himself stretching on it, his legs in Yassen’s lap. Yes, this one would do.

“It’s not as if I’m selling my place or anything. If things don’t work out, well, I’ll have a roof over my head anyway,” Alex shrugged and wrote down the make of the sofa. 

“We haven’t even met him!”

This time, Alex rolled his eyes as he turned to Tom. 

“You’ll meet him in fifteen minutes, actually, he’s coming to help pick out a new mattress.”

Tom looked torn and Alex knew he wanted to both make a joke about breaking in the mattress and continue pointing out that this was a bad idea.

“Besides, you don’t have to like him. It’s a nice bonus if you do but you’re not the one who has to live with him.” Alex motioned for Tom to walk ahead towards the dining room section.

“Well, excuse me for worrying about you - “

He was seriously tempted to throw the pen he was holding at Tom but that would only escalate into a slap fight and he really didn’t want to get kicked out of Habitat for fighting his best friend. Sure, they could just order the furniture online but Alex enjoyed this new experience - the furniture in his flat was chosen by Jack, or was left over from the house he grew up in. There was something exciting about choosing new chairs that would live in his and Yassen’s home. 

“Tom. You know I can take care of myself.”

Tom crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Sure, you can take down twenty armed terrorists no problem. But you’ve never been in a relationship before. Allie and I didn’t move in together until two years after we started dating, not two months.”

“Pointing out my lack of experience in relationships is really doing it for me, bud,” Alex bit back.

Tom sighed and leaned in to bump their shoulders.  
“It’s just… We worry. All of us.”

“It’s good to know Alex has such good friends,” Yassen’s voice came from behind him.

Alex twirled around, surprised, a smile on his lips.

“You’re early.”

Yassen - in a shirt with a high collar, green contact lenses - stepped in closer, his hand resting on Alex’s hip as he kissed him hello. Alex clenched his hand in the front of Yassen’s shirt, pressing his body into the older man’s.

“The meeting ended sooner than expected, thankfully,” Yassen replied, squeezing Alex’s hip. He straightened up and nodded at Tom, sticking his hand out in greeting. “You must be Tom.”

“Yeah, uh, hi Jeremy.” Tom smiled sheepishly and shook Yassen’s hand.

“Don’t feel bad about worrying about Alex, I do it all the time.” Yassen smiled at Tom, his arm resting around Alex’s waist.

“Still here, you know,” Alex mumbled.

“He has that effect on people,” Tom deadpanned. 

“Why don’t you, Allie and Sabina come over for dinner at mine this Saturday? We can get to know each other, you can snoop in my cabinets, make sure I don’t have any skeletons in my closet, that sort of thing.”

Alex made a startled noise and looked up at Yassen with a surprised expression. Sure, they were planning on having his friends over for dinner sometime but that was very forthcoming of Yassen.

“Alright.” Tom nodded. “Just so you know, Alex chose the most expensive sofa in this place.”

Yassen turned to Alex with a raised eyebrow.

“Really?”

Alex cleared his throat. “Well, what kind of sugar baby would I be if I didn’t go for the best option?”

“A cheap one, obviously,” Yassen drawled. 

“Exactly. How many chairs do we need for the dining room?” Alex changed the topic swiftly, maneuvering Yassen towards the dining section and trusting Tom would follow.

*

Alex sighed contentedly, the hot water relaxing his muscles after a long day of hauling boxes to their new place. He was back at Yassen’s, saying fond farewell to the incredibly comfortable bathtub he would miss. 

His friends would be coming over for dinner tomorrow night. A mix of trepidation and anxiety made Alex feel like he was back on one of his missions. He knew it was ridiculous - it was just his friends meeting his boyfriend, for goodness’ sake. Part of him worried Sabina would recognise Yassen after all those years. He was a striking man, and you never forget your first kidnapper, after all.

“Sometimes I think you’re only with me for my bathtub.”

Yassen stood in the door to the bathroom, leaning his shoulder on the doorframe, his legs crossed at the ankles.

“Damn, my secret is out.” Alex sighed mournfully. “Can I make it up to you?”

Yassen pushed off the doorframe and came closer, kneeling in front of the tub.

“What did you have in mind?”

Alex combed his wet hand through Yassen’s hair, pulling him in for an open mouthed kiss.

Yassen hummed into the kiss, his hand covering Alex’s hand on his cheek, pressing into it.

“Fancy a bath?” Alex murmured against Yassen’s lips.

His T-shirt stripped off in a matter of seconds, Yassen stood up to take off his trousers. Alex leaned back against the bathtub and spread his legs, making space for Yassen, who climbed in deftly. They both sighed at the feeling of skin against skin as Yassen’s back made contact with Alex’s chest. Alex wrapped his arms around Yassen’s waist, his lips leaving a trail of kisses along Yassen’s neck and shoulder.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Yassen said quietly, his hands caressing Alex’s knees where they rested on the outside of Yassen’s hips, “but what brought this on?”

“I realised we never had sex in here, it’d be a shame to leave this place without doing that.”

Yassen laughed, a bright sound and Alex tightened his arms around him, his lips pulling into a smile against Yassen’s skin.

“How very remiss of us,” Yassen teased, his thumbs pressing into the muscles of Alex’s calves.

“Have to be thorough, you know.” 

Alex sucked on the skin of Yassen’s shoulder until his mouth tasted like pennies. He moved his hands in opposite directions: one towards Yassen’s nipples, flicking one of them gently with his nail; the other down under water, where it wrapped around Yassen’s slowly filling cock.

Yassen let out a sigh and arched into the touch, pushing his ass against Alex’s hips. 

“Thoroughness next to godliness, hm?”

Moving his hips gently against Yassen, Alex fisted him tighter, enjoying the way Yassen filled his hand, becoming harder. He marvelled at how easy it was to open up to Yassen, just ask for this sort of intimacy now. He couldn’t believe how far he’d come.

“Well, you’re always telling me I need to concentrate on the task at hand,” Alex grinned as he watched his hand pumping Yassen over his shoulder. He rested his chin on Yassen’s shoulder, nibbling his neck every so often.

“You’re doing extremely well, precious,” Yassen thrust into Alex’s hand, slow and steady, like they have all the time in the world. They did.

Alex pinched his nipple, delighting in the groan Yassen released. His own erection was becoming more difficult to ignore but Alex was in a giving mood. He wanted to see Yassen fall apart before he did anything about his own arousal. 

“God, Yassen, you’re so damn beautiful.” The words escaped him before he could think them through. He’s never really complimented Yassen like that before but the reaction it garnered him made him rethink his stance.

Yassen fucked into his fist harder, his hand gripping Alex’s other wrist with a bruising force as he moaned, his head thrown back against Alex’s shoulder.

“I love being in public with you, seeing people watching and wanting you. Knowing they can’t have you,” Alex admitted into his ear, his teeth scraping Yassen’s lobe. “They can imagine all they want but they’ll never get the real thing.”

“Alex,” Yassen groaned, his hips working fast, water lapping rhythmically around their bodies.

“A guy hit on me the other day,” Alex told Yassen a propos nothing, fisting him tighter, “a good looking one, about my age. He was seriously built and normally I would be all over him.”

Yassen’s grip around his wrist tightened to the point of pain, making Alex rut his hips against Yassen’s back, his cock trapped between them.

“I don’t think anyone would blame me if I took him up on it,” Alex continued, his breath coming in pants now. “But I knew he could never give me what you do. He’d never be able to make me come like you do, he’d never understand what I need.”

Yassen moaned, loud and unrestrained, echoing around the bathroom.

“No one gets me like you do,” Alex told him before he went in for the kill, “ _Daddy_.”

Yassen jerked as he came, pulsing violently in Alex’s grip. Alex milked him through his orgasm, until Yassen grabbed his other wrist, too sensitive for his touch. 

Alex wrapped his arms around Yassen’s chest, hid his face in Yassen's shoulder as he rutted against him, his breath coming in hot pants against Yassen’s damp skin.

“Precious boy,” Yassen murmured quietly, his hand tangling in Alex’s hair. “You’re so good for me. Take your pleasure as you wish.”

Alex made a wounded sound at that, hips jerking in a staccato rhythm. He was so damn close he could taste it. Yassen raised one of his hands to his lips, pressing a kiss into the center of his palm before he engulfed three of Alex’s fingers with his mouth, sucking them in deeply and Alex came against his back, a moan torn out of his mouth.

Yassen slid Alex’s fingers out of his mouth, pressing gentle kisses against the tip of every finger before he folded Alex’s arms back around his chest.

Alex shivered against Yassen, the water around them cooling down as they came down. After a minute or two, Yassen nudged Alex’s head up and craned his neck to kiss him softly.

“Hi,” Alex breathed against his lips.

“Hello,” Yassen replied, his thumb caressing Alex’s cheek. “We should probably get out.”

“Mmm, I’m getting cold.”

Yassen hauled himself out of the bathtub, water sliding down his skin in an extremely distracting manner. Alex watched him, the glistening drops on his skin, the way the hair on Yassen’s legs formed into patterns as he got out of the water and if he hadn’t just come, he would have definitely thrown himself at Yassen.

Within seconds Yassen dried himself and held out the towel for Alex, who got out with a sigh. They got ready for bed, Yassen putting on pajama bottoms, Alex opting for sleeping in the nude. Once in bed, Alex plastered himself against Yassen’s side, his hand resting over Yassen’s heart.

“Do I have to bring my old skills back from retirement, Alex?”

Alex nuzzled into Yassen’s furry chest and looked at him questioningly.

“The guy in the cafe…” 

Alex shook his head. “Nah. Told him I’m not interested. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Yassen’s arm tightened around him. 

“Good.”

*

Alex refused to admit he was worried about the dinner. He knew his friends would be fine and Yassen worked for Scorpia, obviously he could handle himself. But there was a thrum of anxiety buzzing in his body that he had no way of soothing.

“Are you sure you didn’t want us to bring anything?” Tom asked once their greetings were exchanged.

Alex shook his head. “You’re fine. Jeremy’s cooking, actually.”

“He cooks, he fucks, he spoils you… Better put a ring on that,” Sabina drawled.

“Oh god, shut up,” Alex hissed and looked towards the kitchen, afraid Yassen overheard her.

Tom pressed a bottle of wine into Alex’s hands.

“Go check on your man, you look like you need it. We know what to do.” Allie pushed him towards the kitchen.

After showing his friends to the living room, Alex went to the kitchen, half glad and half annoyed that his friends knew him so well. He put the bottle on the counter and bumped his shoulder against Yassen’s.

“Need a hand?”

“You could bring out the drinks, I’m nearly done here.” Yassen gave him a reassuring smile as he put the enchiladas back in the oven. 

His hands most definitely didn’t tremble as Alex grabbed four beers and brought them out to his friends who made themselves comfortable on the sofa.

“How’s things?” He asked no one in particular.

“Remember that job interview I had with Vogue?” Sabina asked, running her finger around the rim of the bottle neck.

Alex didn’t. “Yeah? Did you hear back?”

Sabina nodded, a self-satisfied smile blooming on her lips.

“I got it.”

“That’s fantastic!” Tom exclaimed and raised his hand for a high five.

Sabina indulged him and smiled at Allie who grinned at her over Tom’s shoulder.

“Well done! When are you starting?” Alex balanced on the arm of the sofa.

“In three weeks. Thing is, it’s not the position I applied for.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. They offered me a junior writer position in Sydney.”

Alex blinked at that. “You’re moving to Australia?”

Sabina shrugged. “I haven’t given them an answer yet.”

Tom looked like he was about to say something when Yassen came into the room, a glass of wine in his hand.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said with a smile.

“Jeremy, nice to finally meet you.” Sabina stretched her hand out to him and with a grin, Yassen took it and bowed over it.

“You must be Sabina.”

“I am.”

“I hear congratulations are in order. Couldn’t help overhearing.”

“Cheers. Also, Alex, why didn’t you get me a glass of wine? You know I hate Corona.”

Alex squinted at her. “Maybe you should take that job. Make my heart grow fonder and all.”

Sabina rolled her eyes as Yassen waved back at Allie who was sitting next to Tom. Alex took Sabina’s beer and swapped it for a glass of wine Yassen left open in the kitchen. He hovered over the sink, taking in a few deep breaths. 

So far things were going well. His biggest fear - that Sabina would recognise Yassen straight away - didn’t come true. He needed to get a grip, it was alright if his friends didn’t like Yassen or vice versa. But he really, really hoped that wouldn’t be the case. It might have been naive but Alex wanted them to get along since they were all important to him.

The realisation made him groan.

He came back to the living room where Yassen and his friends were chatting amicably. He passed Sabina her glass of wine and sat down next to Yassen, their thighs pressing together. 

Tom engaged him in a conversation about someone they went to school with and before Alex knew, the oven was beeping and Yassen was getting up to dish the food. They made their way to the table, Sabina grabbing his elbow for a second.

“He’s a dead ringer for that guy from Air Force One.”

Alex stopped breathing for a second. Sabina raised her eyebrow.

“You never realised?”

“Uh n-no, I didn’t.”

Sabina shot him a look and squeezed his arm. “I hope I didn’t make it weird for you.”

Alex shook his head. “No, I don’t think you did. Just a bit of a shock, you know.”

Sabina nodded and went to the table, sitting opposite of Allie and Tom. Alex swallowed deeply.

Yassen brought out the enchiladas and told them to dig in. Alex sat down in a haze, eating and chatting with his friends on auto pilot, barely tasting Yassen’s latest culinary delight.

How could he be sitting at the table with his friends and the man who nearly killed Sabina’s father? Could he forgive Yassen for it? Was it even his place to do so?

He felt Yassen’s hand on his knee, squeezing gently and releasing, over and over, grounding him. Alex closed his eyes for a second and drained his bottle of beer. He tried to concentrate, biting his tongue to bring himself back into the present, not wanting his friends to notice anything was amiss.

Sabina, Tom and Allie left a few hours later with hugs and promises to help with their move. They seemed to have warmed up to Yassen, or rather Jeremy. 

Alex wondered if he would ever be able to tell anyone the truth. Wondered whether it was important or not.

“You seem out of sorts, precious.”

Alex nodded and straightened from where he was loading the dishwasher.

“Yeah, a bit.”

Yassen put the pan to soak in the sink and came up to Alex, took his face in his hands - hands that had so much blood on them - brought their foreheads together.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I’m never going to be able to tell them, am I?”

It was Yassen’s turn to sigh as he wrapped his arms around Alex, hugging him tightly.

“No. You might decide that it’s too much--“

“Not likely,” Alex interrupted him with a vigorous shake of his head.

“We’ve been together for what, two months?”

“Nine weeks,” Alex mumbled into Yassen’s shirt. He felt Yassen smile against his neck.

“Nine weeks,” Yassen agreed. “Life with me won’t be easy.”

“I don’t want easy. I want you.”

“You have me.”

Alex balled his hands in the back of Yassen’s shirt, trying to press himself even closer. They stood in the middle of the kitchen, holding onto each other.

“I like your friends,” Yassen said after a while. 

Alex breathed out, his eyes closed. He pulled away from Yassen’s hold on him.

“Can we go to bed?”

In bed, with Yassen’s arm around his waist, Yassen’s feet tangled with his, Alex pushed away thoughts of right and wrong. He deserved happiness. And if he found happiness with Yassen, well, it didn't hurt anyone in the end.


End file.
